Landmark Study Links Low-to-Moderate Drinking with Heightened Cancer Risk in Adult Women

By Hugh C. McBride

The myriad negative health effects associated with the excessive consumption of alcohol have been well-documented, but a new study has revealed that even moderate drinking can have a potentially deadly impact on adult women.

According to a British study that was published Feb. 24 on the website of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (JNCI), having as little as one drink per day may put women at increased risk for developing a range of cancers, including those that affect the breasts, liver, oral cavity and pharynx, rectum, esophagus, and larynx.

‘An Important Public Health Issue’

"Because a high proportion of women drink low amounts of alcohol regularly and because most of the increased risk is for breast cancer, the risk among women associated with drinking alcohol is of particular importance," the study’s lead researcher, Naomi Allen, said in a Feb. 24 article by HealthDay News reporter Steven Reinberg.

Allen and her colleagues at the University of Oxford reached their conclusions after analyzing data on 1,280,296 middle-aged women in the U.K who had participated in the “Million Women Study” between 1996 and 2001. The research news website ScienceDaily reported the following highlights from the Oxford team’s research:

Women in the study who drank alcohol consumed, on average, one drink per day, which is typical in most high-income countries such as the United Kingdom and the United States.
Very few of the women who participated in the study drank three or more drinks per day.
With an average follow-up time of more than seven years, 68,775 women were diagnosed with cancer.
The type of alcohol consumed – wine, spirits, or other types – did not affect the association between alcohol consumption and cancer risk.

The Oxford researchers discovered that, for every 1,000 women, those who averaged one drink per day accounted for 11 additional cases of breast cancer and one additional instance each of mouth, throat, and rectal cancers. Among the one-drink-per-day cohort, cancers of the liver, larynx, and esophagus rose by an average of 0.7 cases per 1,000 women.

“Although the magnitude of the excess absolute risk associated with one additional drink per day may appear small for some cancer sites, the high prevalence of moderate alcohol drinking among women in many populations means that the proportion of cancers attributable to alcohol is an important public health issue,” the authors wrote in their JNCI article.

Conflicting Messages?

Though the Oxford study is consistent with previous research efforts that have documented the ill effects of alcohol, the revelation that even low to moderate drinkers are at heightened risk runs contrary to what many experts – including those who contributed to the U.S. government’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans – have previously believed and advised.

On the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ website, readers are advised that “alcohol may have beneficial effects when consumed in moderation.” DHHS defines moderation as up to one drink (12 fluid ounces of regular beer, five fluid ounces of wine, or 1.5 fluid ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits) per day for women, and up to two drinks per day for men. This advice is consistent with the official stance of the American Cancer Society.

Washington Post staff writer Rob Stein reported that the Oxford revelations may prompt changes to the U.S. dietary guidelines, which are currently in the process of being reviewed.

“No one study is ever sufficient to make a recommendation," Linda Van Horn, the Northwestern University professor of preventive medicine who is leading the committee that will revise the U.S. guidelines, said in Stein’s Feb. 25 article. “But [the findings of the Oxford study team] will be added to the body of literature that will be reviewed.”

Staying Safe, Getting Help

Women who are concerned about the potential health effects of their drinking, or who are finding little success in their efforts to reduce the amount and frequency of their alcohol intake, should consult with their primary healthcare provider or another expert to determine the best course of action for their specific situation.

Some women who struggle with alcohol dependence may benefit from outpatient therapy or participation in a 12-Step group such as Alcoholics Anonymous, while others may need the more intensive and comprehensive support of a residential recovery and rehabilitation program that is designed to meet the unique needs of female clients.

Gender-specific treatment programs offer a number of benefits for both adults and younger people who are working to free themselves from the chains of addiction. For more information about these and other treatment options, ask your family physician, contact a local drug and alcohol counseling organization, visit your local library, or conduct an online search.

A world of education – and a lifetime of healthier living – may be just a phone call or mouse-click away.

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Landmark Study Links Low-to-Moderate Drinking with Heightened Cancer Risk in Adult Women