all forms of alcohol increase bc risk--STUDY looked at bc in general, not her2+

[Lani]

Kaiser Permanente Study Shows Alcohol Consumption — No Matter Beverage Type — Linked to Breast Cancer Risk: Red wine, white wine, beer and hard liquor present same risk [Kaiser Permanente]
Oakland, Calif. — One of the largest individual studies of the effects of alcohol on the risk of breast cancer shows that it makes no difference whether a woman drinks wine, beer or spirits (liquor). It is the alcohol itself (ethyl alcohol) and the quantity consumed that increases breast cancer risk. In fact, the increased breast cancer risk from drinking three or more alcoholic drinks a day is similar to the increased breast cancer risk from smoking a packet of cigarettes or more a day, according to Kaiser Permanente researchers Yan Li, MD, PhD and Arthur Klatsky, MD.
"Population studies have consistently linked drinking alcohol to an increased risk of female breast cancer, but until now there has been little data, most of it conflicting, about an independent role played by the choice of beverage type," said Klatsky, who is presenting these findings on Sept. 27 at the European Cancer Conference (ECCO 14) in Barcelona, Spain.
Li, a Kaiser Permanente oncologist, Klatsky, an investigator with the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland, Calif., and their Kaiser Permanente colleagues studied the drinking habits of 70,033 multi-ethnic women who had supplied information during health examinations between 1978-1985. By 2004, 2,829 of these women were diagnosed with breast cancer. In one analysis, researchers compared the role of total alcohol intake among women who favored one type of drink over another with women who had no clear preference. In another analysis, researchers looked at the possible independent role of frequency of drinking each beverage type. Finally, they examined the role of total alcohol intake, comparing it with women who drank less than one alcoholic drink a day.
The study found there was no difference between wine, beer or spirits in the risk of developing breast cancer. Even when wine was divided into red and white, there was no difference. However, when researchers looked at the relationship between breast cancer risk and total alcohol intake, they found that women who drank between one and two alcoholic drinks per day increased their risk of breast cancer by 10 percent compared with light drinkers who drank less than one drink a day. The risk of breast cancer increased by 30 percent in women who drank more than three drinks a day.
Results: were similar when researchers looked at groups stratified by age and ethnicity. "Statistical analyses limited to strata of wine preferrers, beer preferrers, spirits preferrers or non-preferrers each showed that heavier drinking - compared to light drinking - was related to breast cancer risk in each group. This strongly confirms the relation of ethyl alcohol to increased risk," said Klatsky.
"A 30 percent increased risk is not trivial. To put it into context, it is not much different from the increased risk associated with women taking estrogenic hormones. Incidentally, in previous research completed at Kaiser Permanente, we have found that smoking a pack of cigarettes or more per day is related to a similar (30 percent) increased risk of breast cancer," Klatsky said.
Although breast cancer incidence varies between populations and only a small proportion of women are heavy drinkers, Dr Klatsky said that a 30 percent increase in the relative risk of breast cancer from heavy drinking might translate into approximately an extra 5 percent of all women developing breast cancer as a result of their habit.
Other studies, including research from the same authors, have shown light-moderate alcohol drinking can protect against heart attacks, but Klatsky said that different mechanisms were probably at work.
"We think that the heart protection benefit from alcohol is real, and is probably derived largely from alcohol-induced higher HDL ('good') cholesterol, reduced blood clotting and reduced diabetes. None of these mechanisms are known to have anything to do with breast cancer. The possible but unproven additional coronary benefit from drinking wine (red or white) may be related to favorable drinking patterns common among wine drinkers or to the favorable traits of wine drinkers, as evidenced by other United States and Danish studies," Klatsky said.
Klatsky said that all medical advice needed to be personalized to the individual. "Our findings provide more evidence for why heavy drinkers should quit or cut down."
ABSTRACT: Wine, liquor, beer, and risk of breast cancer [European Cancer Organization]
Background: Drinking of alcoholic beverages has consistently been linked in population studies to increased risk of female breast cancer (BrCa), but data are relatively sparse about an independent role of choice of beverage type.
Materials and Methods: We did a cohort study of 70,033 women (59% white, 26% African-American, 10% Asian-American) who supplied information about demographics and habits at health examinations in 1978-85. Through 2004 BrCa was subsequently diagnosed in 2,829 women; the role of specific beverage types was studied among women taking more than one drink per month per month (n = 37,879 with 1,509 BrCa). We used Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for age, ethnicity, body mass index, education, and smoking, both with and without control for total alcohol. In one type of analysis women whose habits indicated a preponderant beverage choice were compared to women with no clear preference with these numbers: 10,570 wine (W), 3,783 liquor (L), 2,702 beer (B), and 20,824 no preference (N). In another type of analysis we examined the independent association of frequency (per day per week) of drinking each beverage type (W, L, B, and type of wine). Finally, we looked at the role of total alcohol (<1 drink/day referent) within beverage preference strata.
Results: Controlled for total alcohol, the RR's for comparison of preference groups to non-preferrers (N) were: W = 1.06 (0.94-1.20), L = 1.02 (0.87-1.21), and B = 1.02 (0.81-1.29). Also controlled for total alcohol, the RR's for frequency (per day per week) of the major types were: W = 1.02 (0.99-1.04), L = 1.01 (0.98-1.04), B = 1.01 (0.97-1.06). With wine type subsetted into red, white, etc., no disparities in BrCa risk were seen; e.g., for both red W and white W, RR per day per week = 1.01. For total alcohol (vs <1 drink per day) the RR of BrCa was 1.1 for women reporting 1-2 drinks/day and 1.3 for women reporting 3+ drinks/day (p for trend <0.001), with similar trends for total alcohol within the W, L, B, and N strata. All results were similar in subgroups stratified by age or ethnicity.
Conclusion: These data show the relation of alcohol intake to increased BrCa risk is independent of beverage choice, indicating that ethyl alcohol is the likely culprit.

[Donna]

Hi Lani,

Wish I would have seen this before we found this amazing winery not far away. I don't drink often, maybe once a month, but we found the best winery just 2 weeks ago and I sooooo love their dessert wines. I guess my continued once or twice a month won't kill me, but I won't enjoy it in the same way.

Chrisy, holding the glass of wine in your picture..........guess you better draw a big X over the glass!

Have a great day,

Donna

[Sheila]

I think you have to weigh the risks on this...an occasional drink is not going to give someone breast cancer....actually the red wine is very therapeutic for the heart...so its even up for me. Seems like everything can give you cancer...sun, coffee, sugar, etc....I say as long as its in moderation, enjoy....I don't want to live life under a rock.

[Lani]

ie, her2+ vs her2-

When I get time I will try to look up more details ie, whether they looked at if ER+ vs ER- pts had different risk of recurrence related to alcohol consumption, whether PR+ vs PR- made a difference as well as her2+ vs-

Many conclusions do not hold up when one looks at subsets of bc types as they seem to be driven by different signalling pathways.

[Becky]

At San Antonio last year there was a poster on this and the study concluded that the only relevance was for Her2+ bc. I told the researcher who was standing there that "it figures". It was not relevant for ER/PR+ only if Her2+ (although they did not single out Her2+ that was hormone positive versus negative).

I think this might coincide with the older theories that alcohol helps solubilize carcinogens in fat tissue (which is abundant in the breast). Could make sense as there are theories that Her2+ bc is caused more by an exposure. Who knows?

[Hopeful]

I was looking earlier to day at other articles posted here within the last few months touting the benefits of reservatrol, found in wine, grape juice and grape skins, as causing breast cancer cell death, making wine beneficial, not harmful. This controversy has bounced back and forth over the years, with no real answers.

In truth, all researchers have been able to find between bc and alcohol is an association, not a mechanism of action or even a cause and effect relationship. I, for one, have no plans to give up wine.

Hopeful

[fullofbeans]

Although I do not doubt that drinking on a regular basis is good for no-one.

However one question I have is: have they looked at other aspect of people life style or have they just corrolated the results to the amount they drank? if you drink regularly you are certainly lesss likely to be say sporty or eating healthy, I should think. I just wondered since the study does appear to be multi factorial in design.

I agree with Sheila all in moderation...sharing a few glasses or red with a friend I find it therapeutic myself.

[Patb]

Sheila
Love your dance saying. I find this very frustrating about the wine.
I have diffently cut back on my wine and found a new wine called
New Age that is actually lower in alcohol than others. I have cut back
on all fats, since fat is bad, I have cut back on sugar, since sugar is
bad.etc. I exercise, take vitamins, fishoil, etc. but what taste good
is bad and it is getting very trying. I think I will do some moderate
dancing.
patb

[Becky]

I agree with Full of Beans. I am a runner. I don't drink the days I run and rarely after a run on a week day (because I run after work during the week but on the weekend, in the morning). There is no way during the week that I could drink 3 drinks and then go for a run or come back from one and drink 3 drinks (weekends I can and do - share a bottle with the hub). So I agree that an every nighter doesn't leave room for exercise and it may not give most alot of self control at the dinner/snack table either.

As with most studies, it doesn't take into account the whole person and what is really going on although I do believe there could be a correlation. But like Hopeful, I'm not giving up my wine or drink as I really enjoy that and I am good everywhere else (except for some peanut M&Ms - the new dark chocolate ones are excellent - nuts, dark chocolate - its heavenly health food).

[janet/FL]

My brother, who is a 14 year prostate cancer survivor, recently attended a conference on PS that indicated that protein consumption is directly correlated to cancer.

Very low alcohol, very low protein. It seems we do have to go back to when humans ate grains, veggies, etc.

Which is fine by me, but won't work out for my lifestyle.

[mindersue]

I've often wondered if I got cancer from my binge drinking on weekends when I was much younger...will never know, but I think stupid behavior must have consequences...

I lost my taste for alcolic beverages during chemo and never looked back. Don't miss it at all. Now if I can get my sweets intake under control!

Thanks for the info.
Mindy

[carykim]

Janet/FL--what you wrote about protein is so frustrating and sums up for me why it's so impossible to know what the right choices are. I've given up alcohol altogether out of fear that it would make my ER+/HER2+ cancer recur. I gave up my ovaries and went on an AI for the cause as well.

I just joined a study on weight bearing exercise as a preventative measure for osteoporosis and have been increasing my protein accordingly because of all the muscle building I'm trying to do to counteract the muscle deteriorating that is happening in my estrogen-starved body.

And now I have to question the extra chicken breast on my plate too?

It's obviously time for a glass of wine. My first since diagnosis a year ago will probably feel pretty good!

xo
cary

[janet/FL]

Hi Cary
I know all of this information can be so frustrating.
My brother and I were both on Atkins Diet (separately, 2000 miles apart) when I developed BC and his PC began to be less controllable.
Now there is more than just protein to consider.
Weight loss in itself may release "stuff" (I am very scientific) into the body. Also lots of protein, particularly from beef, all kinds of additives. Growth hormones being the worse. (Cows having mad cow disease is also not a natural situation, either) Chicken also has "stuff" fed to the chickens that are not natural. Dr. Atkins (I was NOT a fan of his while he was alive but became a fan after my DH was diagnosed with diabetes, low carb works well for diabets) always suggested we eat natural, organic products, so for the additives in the meat we buy, I can't blame him.
Others may add to this, but eating organic, protein or veggies is probably the way to go.
The occasional glass of wine isn't bad. Checking out what is added to your protein may be more important. IMHO, others please add to this if you wish.

[Hopeful]

If there were a direct cause and effect relationship between bc and alcohol, then I would expect to see much higher bc rates in European countries, where wine with meals has long been more common than in the USA, and, because it is shared at the family table, I am assuming consumption begins earlier and there is longer lifetime exposure. Likewise, I would expect bc rates to be lower in cultures where alcohol is prohibited on religious grounds, i.e., Muslim countries. Neither appears to be the case.

Hopeful

[MJo]

Hopeful. You make an interesting point. I love a good wine, but my consumption probably works out to a glass a week, since I don't have the tolerance to drink every day. THis Christmas I'm planning to make a Puerto Rican rum drink called Coquito and share it with my friends and the people I work with. I'm going to do it despite this report but, as Donna says, I won't enjoy it as much.

[AlaskaAngel]

Can anyone recommend wine/alcohol that is certified to be organically produced?

A.A.

[AlaskaAngel]

It would be really interesting to see a study that compared not just alcohol consumption, but ORGANIC alcohol consumption. The European wines may be somewhat safer than the general wines in the U.S.

A.A.

[Hopeful]

AA,

There are several types of viticulture that employ "organic" methods. Unfortunately, because of the strict labeling requirements for the word, "organic," in the USA, few wineries here that are using organic methods are going to put the word on the label. Mostly, it has to do with the farmer wanting to reserve the right to spray the vineyards if there is some toxic mold that threatens the entire crop, or some pest. For the most part, organic methods are taking hold in CA, OR and WA. Rows of grapes are planted further apart, and "cover crops" are planted in between that discourage the types of pests that can afflict the vineyard, plus promotes greater air circulation around the bunches of grapes to inhibit mold.

In Europe primarily, there are a number of biodynamic farmers who practice what I think of as "organic+". Here is a link to a website on biodynamics if you want more info: http://www.biodynamics.com/

The best way to determine whether a wine is made by organic methods is to look the winery up on the internet.

Hopeful

[AlaskaAngel]

Thanks, Hopeful. The health food store is tiny here and doesn't carry any liquor, but we have more than one liquor store and I'm going to survey them and see what they have to offer. (At one point we had 30 churches and 31 bars/liquor stores here... so the battle for the soul is sort of interesting....)

MJO, if there is a higher risk for bc with alcohol, again, I think it may tie in with whether or not one maintains in the low or mid-range Body Mass Index for height. Alcohol and sugar both are sources of energy, and except for the possible benefits of maybe resveratrol (as well as maybe mellowing out with alcohol) both provide empty calories. The more fat one has, the more aromatase that one would have.

My metabolism has slowed to a crawl, so it is hard to substitute any empty calories in place of any of the other food I eat. But I do think that as long as you stay in the middle or lower end of your recommended BMI, it may not be the alcohol per se that increases the risk.

They probably will never do a study limited to just those who have had bc, are eating and drinking organic, are maintaining the proper BMI, and drink alcohol -- but I wish they would...

AlaskaAngel