role of alcohol in breast cancer development and recurrence

So, I just came across this on the Evidence Watch site: 

http://breastcancer.evidencewatch.com/ 

Breast Cancer Watch Commentary:
The Facts on Alcohol and Breast Cancer Risk
On the basis of systematic review, metaanalysis and critical appraisal, the balanced of the evidence establishes that:
(1) Alcohol is incontrovertibly both a known and recognized human carcinogen and a significant breast cancer risk factor, with each 10 grams = 1 drink consumption being associated with at least 7% - 10% increase in risk.
(2) There is no safe minimum consumption, with each drink adding an additional 7% to 10% risk increase linearly, and statements made to the effect that increased risk begins only at 2 or more drinks daily are in error and wholly without evidentiary support.
(3) A family history of breast cancer influences further increases the risk factor above these levels: in first-degree relatives of breast cancer probands, there is a risk ratio of 2.45 in daily drinkers as compared with never-drinkers.
(4) Alcohol consumption is associated with an increased risk for the development of ER-positive tumors, irrespective of PR status, and there is a statistically significant interaction between alcohol intake and the use of postmenopausal hormones on the risk for ER+ PR+ tumors.
(5) Resveratrol, a non-flavonoid polyphenol, and a natural constituent of both grapes and therefore wine, appears to be a potential anticancer agent. In terms of dietary resveratrol intake and breast cancer risk, there is a significant inverse association for resveratrol from grapes, but not for wine.
(6) There is a positive association between increasing consumption of wine and high mammographic breast density, which is known to be associated with increased breast cancer risk.
(7) A high daily folate intake attenuates the risk of breast cancer associated with high alcohol intake, to the extent that folate intake higher than 350 - 400 µg (micrograms), but not lower, shows no association between the alcohol intake and the breast cancer incidence.

Warning: However, at least one recent study failed to support the hypothesis that high folate intake reduces breast cancer risk; Stolzenberg-Solomon et al. (Am J Clin Nutr (2006): Folate intake, alcohol use, and postmenopausal breast cancer risk in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial) instead found that a high intake may actually increase the risk in postmenopausal women.

Since I'm still premenopausal, it looks as if folic acid will eliminate the risk from alcohol or at least until more research proves otherwise.  I will probably just drink now on special occasions.  It makes me sneeze anyway. lol  

Cynthia 

Interesting thread.  I'm surprised I haven't come across more on this issue in the seven months that I've been posting here.  Breast cancer, for me, has been sort of a blessing.  In the two years prior to my diagnosis, I was drinking like a fish.  I'd say that I was an alcoholic.  There isn't a doubt in my mind that my alcohol consumption played a factor in my developing bc.  I made the decision to stop drinking after I was diagnosed.  I've had one slip-up (caused by stress over a fender-bender in the Fred Meyer parking lot), but other than that, I've managed to stay sober.  Three glasses of wine in eight months.  Not bad.  I haven't gone that long without drinking since I was pregnant with my son six years ago.  If that fender-bender happened today, I think I'd be able to resist the temptation to open a bottle of wine.  The more time that goes by, the less I crave a drink.  Anyway, as horrible and scary as this experience has been, I'm sort of grateful for it.  I certainly would have developed other health issues if I'd continued drinking in excess. 

Karen

The only thing they really know about folic acid is from the Nurses study.  The nurses who had high folic in their blood for some reason didn't get breast cancer, though they were drinkers.  It was protective.

I don't think it works with just taking a folic pill on days you have a drink.  I think what their blood test was showing is these nurses ate healthy on a constant basis.  The usual bias is drinkers don't eat healthy.  So eating foods with a high folate content seemed to be protective.

There's a new study out on this subject with guidelines for alcohol consumption:

http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35996

"advise men to drink no more than two drinks per day and women to drink no more than one drink per day. Because women's bodies generally have less water than men's bodies, a given amount of alcohol is less diluted in a woman's body than in a man's. Consequently, when a woman drinks, the alcohol in her bloodstream typically reaches a higher level than a man's even if both are drinking the same amount."

We have less water retention????  I don't think so.

I do not believe there is a correlation between drinking and breast cancer.  I never drink and I still got it.  I am more inclined to believe that hormones injected into meat and milk make women more susceptible to cancer.

Catherine

"The Seventh Day Adventist's were part of a study...."

I'm joining!  LOL

I haven't  had a drink in yyeeeaaaarrrssss!  I got bc.  However, I probably did EVERYTHING else wrong.  Now, my husband, he drinks enough for all of us.  Hmmmm...is that why...?  I'm gonna shoot him!

Shirley

Shirley,

Well actually it was the Seventh Day Adventist Study.  They started a new study and I can't say when the results will be in, but it's quite interesting to read the old results.  Problem is, I didn't save it (phone rang) and it took forever to find it in the first place.  Oh well.

Traci...I love ya...but...

Seriously, I also started using that natural, crystal deodorant...  frankly I don't find that I need much of anything since rads... maybe  I am kidding myself?   

On topic, I will continue to consume alcohol in moderation.... life's few pleasures lately...

I was drinking a lot of wine in the several years before my diagnosis. After my initial surgery and treatments were over I resumed my wine habit. Sometimes I would drink an entire bottle myself. I developed quite a tolerance. When they asked me how much I drank I lied. I had a recurrence almost 5 yrs. after the first dx. I continued to drink wine, but not as much. About 3 weeks ago I just quit cold turkey..I really miss having wine at night. Plus, my husband continues to drink and it is really hard for me to refuse. Any advice?

Hi Alice Jean....I too had worked my way up to "enjoying" an entire bottle of wine in the evenings while I made dinner, did housework, and "relaxed," finally pouring myself into bed every night and waking up always feeling a little unwell. It went on for years until I finally got sick and tired of it and wanted a change in lifestyle. Unfortunately, I found it nearly impossible to quit and struggled with the effort. I finally joined Alcoholics Anonymous and have found an incredibly happy way to live and a huge group of amazing, wise women who have become cherished friends. As for the degree to which my excessive alcohol consumption contributed to the development of my breast cancer, I'll never know and, frankly, I don't much care because it's done....I drank and I got BC. Oh well. I guess my point is that there is no sense in beating yourself up or blaming yourself for your drinking OR your BC. Maybe drinking gave it a little boost and maybe not. The important thing is that it sounds like you really want to quit drinking, but are finding that hard to do. You may not be an alcoholic at all but, rather, just a habitual wine lover. I say if you want to quit and can't, check out an open AA meeting. Alternatively, you could seek counseling, cultivate a new habit or activity to do around "cocktail hour," or try the Carr book mentioned by a previous poster.

It's a worthwhile effort! PM me if you want to discuss it further or have any questions.

~Marin

I believe anything excessive is bad. My dad and brothers were heavy drinkers, so I followed the pattern. From 2002-2005, I would have 2-4 drinks a day during the week, and up to 6 on weekends. I have hangovers every morning. I quit drinking in August 2005. I know for sure that this habit, plus stress has somehow triggered a change in my body and waken up the cancer cells. In 2007, I was diagnosed.

I just don't know what to believe anymore.  One study says a low fat/high fiber diet is protective, then another says that a low carb is best.  I think I already mentioned that I was rarely drinking in the 5 years prior to my lump appearing, plus I was taking 800 to 1200 micrograms in those years, too.  I wasn't eating meat, and except for drinking milk during my first pregnancy 5 years ago (I craved it), I wasn't a milk drinker.  I'm starting to wonder if the studies that show less cancer in meat eating, low carb eaters might be right. That would help explain some of the alcohol findings, I think, because it's basically a carb.  There's some evidence that higher insulin levels are linked to higher rates of breast cancer.

Hey, Traci, good to see ya!  

Cynthia 

very interesting posts and i hate to say it but i believe my alcohol consumption (plus years of tremendous stress) did have something to do with my bc dx and then my 2nd dx 10 yrs later

i did stop drinking for awhile but did start drinking red wine with my boyfriend who is a wine lover- now after reading here i think i need to give them up to (except for an occasional glass ) it will be hard since he does love his wine and opens a bottle with every dinner

any advice to make it easier besides giving up the boyfriend

I'm sticking with my wine, along with the folic acid.

A study released this week shows that there may be a link between stress and breast cancer.  I know that relaxing with a glass of wine (or two glasses) helps me reduce stress.  So I figure, when I add the folic acid into the mix, I'm coming out ahead! 

And red wine is good for the heart too.