Further attention to the issue of alcohol and cancer risk has been prompted by a new study published in the BMJ. The study confirms that even light to moderate alcohol use can increase the risk of particular cancers.
The risks however are significantly affected by other factors, such as smoking history or sex. For men who have never smoked, risk of alcohol related cancers was 'not appreciably increased' by moderate drinking. However for women, the risk of alcohol related cancers - in particular breast cancer - increases when just drinking one alcoholic drink a day even when having never smoked.
The findings were based on two large US studies involving more than 100,000 adults, defining light to moderate drinking as not more than one 'standard' drink per day for women or two standard drinks per day for men.
However in the US, a standard drink is considered 14 grammes of pure alcohol, whereas the UK unit equates to 8 grammes. As such light to moderate drinking in the study corresponds roughly to the UK daily guidelines of 2-3 units per day for women and 3-4 for men (plus at least two alcohol free days).
A BMJ editorial says the studies confirm the general conclusion from previous research 'that moderate drinking is associated with an increased risk of alcohol attributable cancers', but also suggests:
"...people with a family history of cancer, especially women with a family history of breast cancer, should consider reducing their alcohol intake to below recommended limits, or even abstaining altogether, given the now well established link between moderate drinking and alcohol related cancers."
Implications for health messaging?
Alcohol Concern recently released a new factsheet highlighting the link between alcohol use and breast cancer in women, saying just two drinks a day can increase the risk of developing breast cancer by 18%. Balance North East also recently ran a #7cancers campaign highlighting the links between alcohol and cancer, with Cancer Research UK also funding research and activity.
Back in 2012 the Government announced a review the current drinking guidelines for the first time in 15 years, despite agreeing that current guidelines were "consistent with scientific knowledge". However the review was prompted by a consensus that the guidelines - or at least how they are being communicated - are not conducive to increasing the acceptability of lower risk drinking messages.
The revised guidelines are anticipated this year, but the long delay may be reflective of the fact that whatever the science, there are no easy ways to communicate the complex but often underestimated risks from drinking.
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