Alcohol And Cancer

Even moderate alcohol consumption can increase the risk of cancer.

Consuming alcoholic beverages, even in moderation, may increase your risk of developing certain cancers, according to a new statement released by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).

"People typically don't associate drinking beer, wine, and hard liquor with increasing their risk of developing cancer in their lifetimes," Dr. Bruce Johnson, president of the ASCO, an organization of cancer doctors, said in a statement.

Consuming just 1 alcoholic drink a day increases breast cancer risk, report finds…

…Ashton said that moderate alcohol consumption is defined as up to an average of one drink a day for women (or seven drinks per week) and two drinks a day for men (or 14 drinks a week). She added that this can also cause confusion because of the various types of alcohol available.

For wine, a standard serving size is considered to be 5 ounces. For beer, 12 ounces is considered a standard serving size. Meanwhile, for hard liquor, 1.5 ounces is considered a standard serving. Ashton adds that if you pour more than these standard serving sizes, it counts for more than one drink.

Ashton said alcohol consumption has been shown to be a causative factor in a wide range of cancers, including cancer of the head and neck, esophagus, breast and colon. It may also be associated with liver cancer, according to Ashton.

On the other hand, we are sometimes told about cardiovascular benefits to moderate wine consumption for example.  I’m not an alcohol drinker myself.  Listen to your doctor’s advice about this.