UK NEWS

THREE GLASSES OF WINE BOOST RISK OF BREAST CANCER

WARNING: One glass could increase the risk of cancer by seven per cent

Monday April 14,2008

By Victoria Fletcher Health Editor

Comment Speech Bubble Have your say(5)

WOMEN who drink three small glasses of wine a day increase their risk of breast cancer by more than half, a new study suggests.

Just one glass a day increasing risk by seven per cent.

This is because alcohol increases the levels of oestrogen in the body.

The US researchers found that women who had one to two drinks a day had a 32 per cent increased risk of suffering oestrogen and progesterone-positive cancers.

Those who had three a day had a 51 per cent increased risk.

Jasmine Lew, of Chicago university, told the American Association for Cancer Research’s annual meeting yesterday that the researchers analysed data on 184,418 postmenopausal women.

Ms Lew added: “This suggests that women should consider alcohol consumption along with other known risk factors, such as use of hormone replacement therapy.”

British charity Cancer Research has previously found that eight in 100 women will suffer breast cancer if they do not drink, 10.1 in 100 will get it if they have two drinks a day, while 13.3 out of 100 will succumb if they have six drinks a day.

More than 40,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year in Britain and the figure is rising. But despite the high rates, survival has never been better thanks to new drugs and earlier diagnosis through breast cancer screening.

Also yesterday, another study has found that exercise – long thought to ward off cancer – can increase the risk.

Tests on mice found that tumours grew twice as fast in animals which ran on exercise wheels.

This may be because exertion increases blood-flow to the cancer, boosting its growth.

But the researchers at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, warned that people may react differently.

In Britain, a spokesman for The Prostate Cancer Charity said people should not stop exercising. “Healthy eating and proper exercise can help to prevent diseases such as cancer and diabetes,” he insisted. Meanwhile, the Government’s leading cancer expert, Professor Mike Richards, warned yesterday that patients were dying of cancer because GPs were failing to spot the symptoms.

Professor Richards said: “There are 250,000 new patients with cancer every year. Only a small proportion experienced a missed or delayed diagnosis – but it is not negligible.

“Ultimately, it can mean that the cancer has progressed to a stage where it can’t be cured.”

The Government’s recent Cancer Reform Strategy identified late diagnosis as a major reason why Britons have poorer survival rates from cancer than other nationals.

WHAT I MEANT TO ADD ................

14.04.08, 7:29pm

but fumbled the keys the wrong way was..........I am now 53 and "binge" often. But I 'm still here doing it. Maybe it's the stress relief, but people say I look younger than my years. Statasticians can make numbers add up all different ways. Perhaps it is because in these affluent times more people can afford wine that reflects in the no. of cancer patients drinking the stuff.

• Posted by: Fluffles • Report Comment

CHEERS M'DEARS

14.04.08, 6:56pm

I have always enjoyed a good drink, it is a family weakness I have always revelled in. When I was 30 I came to realise that I was drinking way over govt. I think all my alcohol must be killing off the other bugs. Party on people.

• Posted by: Fluffles • Report Comment

RED,RED WINE

14.04.08, 6:40pm

Just do what you feel is right for you, if your time is up it will get you any way so i say enjoy while you can,CHEERS

• Posted by: baj • Report Comment

3 GLASSES OF WINE BOOSTS CANCER

14.04.08, 6:34pm

I don't listen to any of these so called 'studies' anymore.

I am too busy slowly dying from all the other things that I have been told not to do / eat / drink! At the end of the day we all have to die.

Everything in moderation as the saying goes.

• Posted by: Kent_Girl • Report Comment

WINE = CANCER???

14.04.08, 12:35pm

Does anyone take this kind of twaddle seriously anymore? With the lessons learnt from the rubbish used to push through the 'smoking fiasco', surely anyone with even a few brain cells can see through it?
What I find distressing is that our national news papers give credance to such drivel as if it had some worth. If they were to do their job properly and refuse to print them, these insults to our intelligence would quickly die away.

• Posted by: BenEllis70 • Report Comment