"Booze And Breast Cancer Link" - Sumathi Reddy
A new study finds that drinking even one glass of alcohol a day increases the risk of developing breast cancer. The report, a joint effort of the American Institute for Cancer Research and the World Cancer Research Fund, is a review of 119 studies looking at how diet and physical activity affects the risk of developing breast cancer in pre and post-menopausal women. The studies don't show that alcohol causes breast cancer but they do show an association or link. Susan Boolbol, MD, chief of the division of breast surgery at Mount Sinai Beth Israel, notes that pooling many studies can lead to an imperfect analysis. The studies are retrospective so they involve asking many women how much they drink, which isn't always reliable data. "I have this discussion with patients all the time," she says. "They say 'I only drink wine or I only drink beer and that doesn't count.' This was very, very specific that it does." She says it is unrealistic to recommend to patients that they completely abstain from alcohol.
- Susan Boolbol, MD, Associate Professor, Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Chief, Breast Surgery, Mount Sinai Beth Israel