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Imbibing a few pints of beer or glasses of wine in the course of an evening may not raise any alarm bells health-wise, but over-indulging in alcoholic beverages may increase a woman’s risk of contracting breast cancer.
A study reported in the European Journal of Public Health found that women who had more than 20 drinks a week — one drink being the equivalent of a half pint glass — raised the risk of their having breast cancer by twofold, as compared to women who drank only one to three small glasses of alcohol in the same
period.
Said Dr Ang Tiing Leong, consultant at the Division of Gastroenterology at Changi General Hospital: “Binge drinking is usually referred to as an extended period of time (two days or more) when a person repeatedly drinks to intoxication, giving up usual activities and obligations. It also refers to heavy drinking over an evening or similar span of time,” he explained.
More than a quarter of the study’s 17,647 female participants had more than the recommended study limit of 14 drinks a week. Ten per cent clocked in as weekday binge drinkers (more than four drinks a day) while 13 per cent binge-drank on weekends (more than 10 drinks from Friday to Sunday).
The risk of breast cancer increased by two per cent for each additional drink that was consumed, a figure that increased to four per cent with each additional drink drunk during the weekend binge.
Lead researcher Dr Lina Morch of the Centre for Alcohol Research in Denmark, explained: “What our study suggests is that the total amount of alcohol consumed has a detrimental effect on the risk of breast cancer.
“When more drinks are consumed over a limited time frame, the concentration of alcohol in the blood peaks, which we suppose is more harmful than when the same amount of alcohol is consumed over longer time periods.”
The key is moderate consumption: Spread out the drinks instead of downing many at one sitting.
Dr Wong Seng Weng, consultant medical oncologist at Raffles Hospital, agrees with the results of the Danish study.
He said: “There have been over 30 studies published previously linking alcohol intake with breast cancer risk. Taken together, there is consistent evidence that the risk is higher for women who consume moderate to high levels of alcohol compared to those who abstain.”
The reason behind this link is traced to a number of biological mechanisms. According to Dr Wong, large amounts of alcohol bring about increased circulation of estrogen and androgens, thus increasing mammary gland susceptibility to carcinogenesis.
Apart from breast cancer, binge drinking also makes one vulnerable to other ailments.
Dr Wong said: “Several types of gastrointestinal cancers are linked to alcohol consumption, even at low levels of intake. The combined mortality rate for cancers of the mouth, larynx, pharynx, oesophagus and liver has been estimated to be 40 per cent higher in frequent drinkers than in abstainers.”
In addition, alcohol consumption has also been associated with non-malignant conditions such as liver cirrhosis, pancreatitis and osteoporosis.
Besides cutting back on the number of drinks one imbibes, Dr Wong also suggests taking supplements. “There are studies to show that folic acid supplements may protect against the breast cancer-causing effects of alcohol.
“It is not unreasonable, based on these studies, to recommend that women who consume alcohol also regularly take a multivitamin fortified with folic acid.” - TODAY/fa
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