Alcohol and Breast Health


There is a well-established link between alcohol consumption and an increased risk of breast cancer. Research shows that alcohol can increase the levels of estrogen and other hormones associated with hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer.

Many people still may not be aware of the potentially harmful health effects of drinking, including the increased risk of cancer.

Here’s how alcohol contributes to the risk:

  • DNA Damage: Alcohol and its metabolite, acetaldehyde, can damage DNA in cells, which can lead to cancerous changes. When DNA is damaged, the body's ability to repair cells becomes compromised, increasing the risk of cancer

  • Impact on Nutrient Absorption: Alcohol interferes with the body's ability to absorb important nutrients, such as folate. Low levels of folate are associated with an increased risk of breast cancer.

  • Dose-Response Relationship: Studies show a dose-response relationship, meaning that the more alcohol a person consumes, the higher their risk of developing breast cancer. Even moderate drinking (one drink a day) can slightly increase the risk, while heavier drinking raises the risk more significantly.

  • Type of Alcohol: All types of alcohol—beer, wine, and spirits—are linked to an increased risk of breast cancer. The risk comes from the ethanol in alcoholic drinks, which is metabolized into acetaldehyde, a toxic substance.

  • Synergy with Other Risk Factors: Alcohol can amplify the effects of other risk factors for breast cancer, such as family history and being overweight.

  • While moderate alcohol consumption is often considered safe for other health conditions, even light to moderate drinking can pose a risk for breast cancer.

  • Alcohol accounts for a “considerable proportion” of cancer diagnoses and deaths.

  • From 2013 to 2016, drinking alcohol was tied to more than 75,000 new diagnoses of cancer and almost 19,000 deaths from cancer each year.

  • 12% of new breast cancer diagnoses are related to drinking alcohol.

  • Breast cancer accounts for about 75% of all alcohol-related cancers diagnosed in women.

  • There is a well established association between lifetime alcohol intake and breast cancer.

  • There is evidence for an increased risk of breast cancer associated with heavy episodic drinking, especially among moderate lifetime drinkers.

  • Even light alcohol intake is associated with a small but significant increase in breast cancer risk.

  • High alcohol consumption during adolescence is particularly detrimental, doubling the risk of breast cancer later in life.

  • The evidence strongly supports that alcohol consumption increases the risk of breast cancer, particularly in premenopausal women.

  • Limiting alcohol intake is recommended as a preventive measure for breast cancer.

  • The American Cancer Society (ACS) guidelines also highlight that alcohol consumption is a modifiable risk factor for breast cancer.

  • The ACS recommends limiting alcohol intake to less than one drink per day to reduce cancer risk.

References:

ttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1877782121000102?via%3Dihub

https://www.cancer.org/research/acs-research-news/us-states-vary-in-how-drinking-alcohol-affects-cancer-diagnoses-and-deaths.html

Alcohol Consumption and Breast Cancer Risk in Japan: A Pooled Analysis of Eight Population-Based Cohort Studies. Iwase M, Matsuo K, Koyanagi YNY, et al. International Journal of Cancer. 2021;148(11):2736-2747. doi:10.1002/ijc.33478.

Modification of Breast Cancer Risk According to Age and Menopausal Status: A Combined Analysis of Five Population-Based Case-Control Studies. Trentham-Dietz A, Sprague BL, Hampton JM, et al.

Breast Cancer Research and Treatment. 2014;145(1):165-75. doi:10.1007/s10549-014-2905-y.American Cancer Society Guideline for Diet and Physical Activity for Cancer Prevention. Rock CL, Thomson C, Gansler T, et al.

CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. 2020;70(4):245-271. doi:10.3322/caac.21591.

Impact of Alcohol Consumption on Breast Cancer Incidence and Mortality: The Women's Health Study.Mostofsky E, Lee IM, Buring JE, Mukamal KJ.

Journal of Women's Health (2002). 2024;33(6):705-714. doi:10.1089/jwh.2023.1021.Risk Factors for Breast Cancer in Elderly Women.Sweeney C, Blair CK, Anderson KE, Lazovich D, Folsom AR.

American Journal of Epidemiology. 2004;160(9):868-75. doi:10.1093/aje/kwh276.Trajectories of Alcohol Consumption During Life and the Risk of Developing Breast Cancer.Donat-Vargas C, Guerrero-Zotano Á, Casas A, et al.

British Journal of Cancer. 2021;125(8):1168-1176. doi:10.1038/s41416-021-01492-w. Risk Factors for Breast Cancer for Women Aged 40 to 49 Years: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Nelson HD, Zakher B, Cantor A, et al.Annals of Internal Medicine. 2012;156(9):635-48. doi:10.7326/0003-4819-156-9-201205010-00006.