New Cancer Research UK report highlights risks of alcohol
A woman's risk of breast cancer increases by 6% for every extra alcoholic drink consumed on a daily basis, according to a report from Cancer Research UK.
The recommended daily amount is two to three units or less a day. The research also states that smoking, the cause of a third of all cancers, does not contribute to breast cancer.
The paper, published in the British Journal of Cancer, estimates alcohol accounts for around 4% of breast cancers in the developed world and around 2,000 cases each year in the UK. It also anticipates an increase in this figure if women's alcohol consumption continues to rise.
Data was gained from the combined results of 50 studies and included information on 150,000 women from around the world. Over 23,000 women did not drink and when examined separately, researchers could see no significant difference between rates of breast cancer in smokers and non-smokers.
Sir Richard Doll, co-author of the study, said: 'For the first time we have undertaken a study large enough to look at the separate effects of tobacco and alcohol reliably. We found drinking, but not smoking, increases the risk of breast cancer.'
The average alcohol intake for UK women has increased from about seven grams to eight grams a day in the last decade.
The increase for young women, however, has been greater. For those aged between 16 and 24, the proportion drinking more than three drinks a day has doubled from 9% to 18%.
Sir Paul Nurse, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said: 'It seems women's attitudes to alcohol are changing and this can only have a negative impact on their health.'
n The study coincides with the launch of a new breast cancer treatment drug, Arimidex. It has been approved for use in early breast cancer treatment and offers an alternative to Tamoxifen, the hormonal treatment.
