NORFOLK, Va. — A recent study published by the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) suggests a high correlation between people who drink alcohol and up to six different cancers. This includes colorectal, liver, and breast cancer.
In some cases, the rates of these types of cancers also increase in younger people.
Dr. Meghna Chopra, a Family Medicine Physician, said there could be multiple factors behind this.
"From our understanding, it looks like alcohol use - naturally raises those hormone levels so for estrogen for instance - that's one of the possible drivers for development of breast cancer," said Chopra. "Drinking can also lead to weight gain and in fat, the production of estrogen can also increase."
But how much alcohol can lead to an increased risk of cancer?
That also has a lot of different factors including gender, how frequently a person is excessively drinking, and by how much.
"The current recommendation is that a man should have no more than two standard drinks a day, and a woman should have no more than one standard drink a day," said Chopra. "So even that 5-ounce glass of wine at bedtime could be potentially pushing you over that limit."
For most women, the average risk of breast cancer is approximately 12%.
According to this latest data, a woman who drinks at least three standard drinks regularly can increase their risk of breast cancer by 15%.
While that is only a three percent difference, Chopra said every percentage point truly matters.
"12% is about 1 in 8, 15% is 1 in 7 so you are talking about one extra woman per 100 people that could be developing breast cancer, so if you are adding one extra person that is still a huge amount," said Chopra.
According to the AACR, 40% of all cancers in the United States are associated with modifiable risk factors, including excessive alcohol consumption, tobacco use, physical inactivity, and unhealthy diet.
The study also found that those who stopped drinking entirely dropped their risk for all cancers by roughly 4%.
Chopra encouraged women to start performing their own breast examinations at home to check for any abnormal lumps and to start scheduling mammograms every two years after turning 40 years old.
