A new study led by researcher Kevin D. Shield of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (France), has concluded that any level of alcohol consumption, even occasionally, influences an increased risk of breast cancer ; thus linking higher consumption with an increased risk of suffering from the disease. The work has been published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.
Alcohol use and breast cancer
Many studies have previously found an association between alcohol use and breast cancer. Now, in the new work, the scientists reviewed all of the existing literature on the biology of the relationship between alcohol use and breast cancer; Subsequently, the evidence on the level of risk and how it relates to the amount of alcohol consumed was examined. Finally, they evaluated the global impact of these connections, with an emphasis on lower or occasional alcohol consumption.
The results revealed that women who drink alcohol, even in very small amounts, had a higher risk of breast cancer than non-drinkers, estimating that of the 144,000 cases of breast cancer and the 38,000 deaths from breast cancer in 2012 were caused by Alcohol consumption. Of this figure, in 18.8% of the cases the women were moderate drinkers.
“ All levels of the evidence showed a risk relationship between alcohol consumption and breast cancer risk, even at low levels of consumption. Due to this strong relationship, and with the amount of alcohol consumed worldwide, the incidence and mortality attributable to alcohol for breast cancer is large, “explains Shield.
Alcohol in the world
According to the WHO, the harmful use of alcohol kills 3.3 million people worldwide each year , and there are more than 60 different diseases where alcohol is a major trigger.
The world consumption of alcoholic beverages in 2010 was equal to 6.2 liters of pure alcohol per person over 15 years of age.
