According to a group of American researchers, all types of alcohol – beer, wine and liquor – add equally to the risk of developing breast cancer in women. Led by Dr. Arthur Klatsky of the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program in Oakland, California, researchers analyzed the drinking habits of over 70,000 women and asked them questions during health exams between 1978 and 1985. According to the study, over 2,800 had been diagnosed with breast cancer by 2004.
The study found no difference in the risk of developing breast cancer among women who drank beer, wine or liquor. Women who had more than 3 drinks a day, however, increase their risk of developing breast cancer by 30%.
While there have been previous studies on the link between alcohol and breast cancer, there have been conflicting reports about whether different types of alcohol were more dangerous than others. According to the researchers at Kaiser Permanente, it is the alcohol itself (ethyl alcohol) and the quantity consumed that increases breast cancer risk.
“Women don’t have to abstain from alcohol entirely, but they need to be aware of the risks they’re taking when they have a few too many drinks,” says Tim Key, of the Cancer Research UK Epidemiology Unit at Oxford.
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From AOL News: All Alcohol Types Linked to Breast Cancer
Kaiser Permanente Press Release: Kaiser Permanente Study Shows Alcohol Consumption – No Matter Beverage Type – Linked to Breast Cancer Risk
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