Alcohol and Breast Cancer

Is this a trick question?

Actually, I have read somewhere that you should not drink alcohol if diagnosed with breast cancer.
However, an occassional glass of wine would be, I guess, a personal decision. So, if someone also read that it's contraindicated, and feels strongly about it, then I'd have to say "No, it's not okay."
Me personally, I still drink an occassional glass.
Then again, cancer feeds off of sugar, and I still drink an occassional coca-cola...and ohhh! chocolate...my downfall. Especially turtles and here it is, Valentine's! Now, if someone gives me turtles do they REALLY love me? LOL
hummingbyrd

DJC said:

I posed this same question to both my breast surgeon and oncologist after I was diagnosed in May. Prior to being diagnosed, I had collected vintage wines. I still collect and invest in wines, but I no longer drink wine or alcohol to the extent that I used to. Both my doctors said I should curtail my consumption to an occasional glass as my cancer is estrogen receptive and the body's synthesis of ethyl alcohol produces an estrogen by-product. I have been forced into early menopause by chemotherapy and now take the estrogen suppressant therapy, Arimidex. We know that the consumption of alcohol increases your risk of developing breast cancer - but I haven't come across a lot of research regarding how it may increase your chances of recurrance, especially in post-menopausal women on estrogen suppressant therapy - anybody out there know of any published research on this subject? My best to you, S. Donna

S - here is some condensed data on the subject:

Alcohol
Why is alcohol consumption associated with an increased risk of breast cancer? I have had a lumpectomy for an estrogen-receptor positive tumor and am taking tamoxifen. Does having two glasses of wine with dinner 4 or 5 days of the week increase my risk of recurrence?

Let's begin with your first question. Alcohol may work by raising blood levels of both in the blood insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) which, like estrogen, can promote breast-cell growth. This theory has been borne out by physiologic studies involving a few women and observational studies that included thousands.

First, the physiologic studies -- experiments in which women's estrogen and IGF levels were measured before and after they drank alcohol. Their findings aren't clear cut. One of the most highly publicized -- a study conducted in postmenopausal women a few years ago -- indicated that two very stiff drinks on an empty stomach raised women's estrogen levels threefold, but only for women who were taking HRT. Drinking had no effect on women who weren't on hormones -- other than to make them a little tipsy. Other studies have indicated that alcohol, which is high in carbohydrates, increases the level of insulin and of receptors for IGF. The overall effect is to make breast cells more responsive to IGF.

Now the observational studies. These studies don't give direct information, but can hint at connections between lifestyles and diseases. Over the years, several groups of researchers have looked for indications of a link between alcohol and breast cancer. In 1998, researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health pooled the data from six of the biggest studies. (For the purpose of this research a drink is equal to 11/2 ounces of spirits, 5 ounces of wine, or 12 ounces of beer.) They found that one drink a day increased breast cancer risk by only about 10%, but that 2-5 drinks a day increased it by about 40%. This means that for the average woman who has a drink a day, the lifetime risk of breast cancer goes from 12% to 13%; if she has 2-5 drinks it increases to about 17%. Interestingly, breast cancer risk doesn't continue to mount for women who have more than 5 drinks a day but, of course, the risks of other problems -- from liver disease to stroke -- do.

If wine makes your dinners more pleasurable, you don't have to abandon it altogether. However, you may want to forgo the second glass. Four or five glasses a week shouldn't have a measurable affect on your risk of recurrence.

Another thing to consider: Recent research indicates that alcohol appears to only increase breast cancer risk in women who have low folate levels. Folate is a B vitamin that is found in a variety of foods; it is also added to many vitamin and mineral supplements. In its synthetic form it is referred to as folic acid.

So if you are someone who enjoys a glass of wine with dinner, you may want to consider taking a folate supplement or a multi-vitamin that includes folate. The recommended daily dose of folate is 400 micrograms. The maximum safe level of folate is 1 mg, or 1,000 micrograms of folate daily.

References:

Smith-Warner SA, Spiegelman D, Yaun SS et al.
Alcohol and breast cancer in women: a pooled analysis of cohort studies.
JAMA 1998;279:535-540.

Smith-Warner SA, Spigelman D, Willett WC, Hunter DJ.
Alcohol consumption and breast cancer risk.
JAMA 1998; 280:1138-1139

Stoll BA.
Alcohol intake and late-stage promotion of breast cancer.
Eur J Cancer 1999; 35:1653-1658.

Ginsburg ES, Mello NK, Mendelson JH.
Effects of alcohol ingestion on estrogens in postmenopausal women.
JAMA 1996:276:1747-1751.

DJC said:

S - here is some condensed data on the subject:

Alcohol
Why is alcohol consumption associated with an increased risk of breast cancer? I have had a lumpectomy for an estrogen-receptor positive tumor and am taking tamoxifen. Does having two glasses of wine with dinner 4 or 5 days of the week increase my risk of recurrence?

Let's begin with your first question. Alcohol may work by raising blood levels of both in the blood insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) which, like estrogen, can promote breast-cell growth. This theory has been borne out by physiologic studies involving a few women and observational studies that included thousands.

First, the physiologic studies -- experiments in which women's estrogen and IGF levels were measured before and after they drank alcohol. Their findings aren't clear cut. One of the most highly publicized -- a study conducted in postmenopausal women a few years ago -- indicated that two very stiff drinks on an empty stomach raised women's estrogen levels threefold, but only for women who were taking HRT. Drinking had no effect on women who weren't on hormones -- other than to make them a little tipsy. Other studies have indicated that alcohol, which is high in carbohydrates, increases the level of insulin and of receptors for IGF. The overall effect is to make breast cells more responsive to IGF.

Now the observational studies. These studies don't give direct information, but can hint at connections between lifestyles and diseases. Over the years, several groups of researchers have looked for indications of a link between alcohol and breast cancer. In 1998, researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health pooled the data from six of the biggest studies. (For the purpose of this research a drink is equal to 11/2 ounces of spirits, 5 ounces of wine, or 12 ounces of beer.) They found that one drink a day increased breast cancer risk by only about 10%, but that 2-5 drinks a day increased it by about 40%. This means that for the average woman who has a drink a day, the lifetime risk of breast cancer goes from 12% to 13%; if she has 2-5 drinks it increases to about 17%. Interestingly, breast cancer risk doesn't continue to mount for women who have more than 5 drinks a day but, of course, the risks of other problems -- from liver disease to stroke -- do.

If wine makes your dinners more pleasurable, you don't have to abandon it altogether. However, you may want to forgo the second glass. Four or five glasses a week shouldn't have a measurable affect on your risk of recurrence.

Another thing to consider: Recent research indicates that alcohol appears to only increase breast cancer risk in women who have low folate levels. Folate is a B vitamin that is found in a variety of foods; it is also added to many vitamin and mineral supplements. In its synthetic form it is referred to as folic acid.

So if you are someone who enjoys a glass of wine with dinner, you may want to consider taking a folate supplement or a multi-vitamin that includes folate. The recommended daily dose of folate is 400 micrograms. The maximum safe level of folate is 1 mg, or 1,000 micrograms of folate daily.

References:

Smith-Warner SA, Spiegelman D, Yaun SS et al.
Alcohol and breast cancer in women: a pooled analysis of cohort studies.
JAMA 1998;279:535-540.

Smith-Warner SA, Spigelman D, Willett WC, Hunter DJ.
Alcohol consumption and breast cancer risk.
JAMA 1998; 280:1138-1139

Stoll BA.
Alcohol intake and late-stage promotion of breast cancer.
Eur J Cancer 1999; 35:1653-1658.

Ginsburg ES, Mello NK, Mendelson JH.
Effects of alcohol ingestion on estrogens in postmenopausal women.
JAMA 1996:276:1747-1751.

good info Personally I wasn't aware of any of this info, probably because mine was non hormone receptive, but all of the odds , statistics etc are just that. My cancer was supposed to beonly in women in their 60's, I had my period and my kids very young, no infertility problems etc. etc. and I still got it so there you go I believe it is more random than not.