Attention libation lovers: recent advisory from the Surgeon General shows that drinking alcohol – even one drink a day – increases the chance of some cancers.
Breast cancer had the very best alcohol-related risk amongst women and people assigned female at birth. The report found that about 4 more women in 100 would develop breast cancer in the event that they drank two alcoholic drinks a day. And that is whatever the form of alcohol consumed, including beer and wine.
The report also links alcohol to an increased risk of six other cancers – cancer of the colon, esophagus, liver, mouth, pharynx and larynx.
In recent years, there was a growing body of research pointing to the health risks of drinking alcohol, however the suggestion now goes a step further and calls for warning labels – much like the pregnancy warnings already found on alcohol bottles – to be placed on bottles to extend awareness of the link between alcohol and cancer.
Steven Quay, M.D., Ph.D.has spent over 30 years in medical research specializing in breast cancer and preventive therapies. We asked him what women should know concerning the Surgeon General’s report and the most recent research on the link between alcohol and cancer.
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What are the important thing takeaways for girls and people assigned female at birth from the Surgeon General’s recent warning on alcohol?
The Surgeon General’s suggestion highlights that even small amounts of alcohol can increase a girl’s risk of cancer, particularly breast cancer. It emphasizes that breast cancer is the reason behind most breast cancer cases in women, and evidence shows that the chance increases even at levels as little as one drink a day.
This advice is a wake-up call to reassess social norms around alcohol consumption, particularly amongst women, and to advertise awareness that alcohol is a modifiable risk factor for one of the common cancers affecting women.
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Numerous studies confirm the link between cancer and alcohol consumption. So is any amount of alcohol “safe” by way of cancer risk?
Evidence suggests that there isn’t any protected level of alcohol consumption relating to cancer risk. Both general surgeon and National Academy Reports indicate that alcohol increases cancer risk in a dose-dependent manner, with risk starting to extend even at low levels of consumption. The Surgeon General’s report clearly states that one of the best technique to reduce cancer risk is complete abstinence from alcohol. While the National Academy report confirms the identical link, it also indicates that absolutely the increase in risk at very low levels could also be modest. The public health message is obvious: less is best, and nothing is best.
What do you wish women to find out about breast cancer and alcohol consumption?
Women have to know that alcohol is a major and preventable risk factor for breast cancer. The surgeon general’s report highlights that even one drink a day can increase the chance of breast cancer by about 10%, and drinking two drinks a day increases the chance by greater than 30%. The mechanism is an alcohol-induced increase in estrogen levels, which can cause the event of hormone-dependent breast cancer. This increases the necessity for awareness campaigns and a cultural change in the best way alcohol is promoted and consumed by women. Women must be aware that reducing or eliminating alcohol consumption is an lively step towards reducing the chance of cancer.
Question to a friend: What when you’ve been drinking for years pondering it’s good for you? Can you reduce your risk of cancer when you stop drinking now?
Yes, it isn’t too late to scale back your risk of cancer by stopping drinking alcohol. A report by the National Academy found that stopping alcohol consumption can result in a gradual reduction in cancer risk over time because the body begins to repair DNA damage and hormonal imbalances brought on by alcohol. Additionally, the Surgeon General’s suggestion highlights that any reduction in alcohol consumption, even after years of drinking, can still help improve overall health and reduce the chance of alcohol-related cancers. This is particularly necessary for girls who can have consumed alcohol under the misunderstanding of its cardiovascular advantages, which recent research has shown to be exaggerated or outweighed by cancer risk. The bottom line is that quitting alcohol now could be a strong and achievable step toward improving long-term health outcomes.
