Alcohol use can increase risk for several types of cancer, it is a GROUP 1 (DEFINITELY CARCOGENIC) carcinogen.
The more alcohol you consume the greater the caner risk is, and even with prevention strategies you cannot eliminate your cancer risk. Alcohol accounting for 4% of all cancers.
The cancers of the upper airway and digestive tracts, including esophagus, appear to be the most sensitive to cancers.
Avoiding alcohol For cancer protection
The best preventions you can do is to avoid alcohol, especially for liver cancers which have other modifiable risk factors.
Breast cancer is a risk that is increased by alcohol, and even binge drinking is related to cancers. One drink a day increases breast cancer risk by 5-15%. Exercise will reduce the risk, and modify the alcohol risk.
In the studies of post menopausal hormone use, association of alcohol intake was the greatest for cancer risk.
Quitting alcohol consumption immediately decreases some of the risk, but to eliminate the elevated risk takes years and years.
add folate to your diet or SUPPLEMENTS
Some evidence shows that adding folate to diet or with supplements may decrease risk of breast cancer, particularly in hormone users. Folate addition also offers some protection against colorectal cancers.
In the USA much bread is fortified with folate so that consumption of supplements may not be necessary to lower breast cancer risk if you drink and take hormone therapy.
Alcohol can affect circulating levels of estrogens and androgens, and can affect DNA damage, and the ability of the body to fight off invasive cancer cells..
Females can be at increased risk of cancers of the whole GI and oral tract if they consume alcohol, especially compared to individuals who do not consume alcohol. Fruits and vegetable consumption can mitigate risk to some extent.
Knowing one’s individual risk factors for cancer, especially when selecting hormone therapy, is important.
