Women who drink three or more units of alcohol per day significantly increase their risk of breast cancer. So explained Dr. Arthur Klatsky from Oakland, USA, during the European Cancer Conference (ECCO), recently held in Barcelona.

The study covers 70 000 female subjects of various ethnic origin, examined and interviewed between 1978 and 1985. By 2004 breast cancer was confirmed in 2 829 of these women.

The researchers could not find any difference that could in any way be separately ascribed to consumption of beer, wine or spirituous beverages. They did, however, establish that women drinking one or two alcohol units per day were 10% more at risk for developing breast cancer compared with women drinking less than one unit per day. An average alcohol consumption in excess of three units per day was found to increase that risk by 30%, which is pretty much the same as smoking a whole packet of cigarettes a day.

Dr. Kladsky is careful to point out that any medical advice should always take account of the individual’s characteristics. “The only general conclusion based on our findings is that proof has now been provided as to why heavy drinkers should refrain from drinking altogether or, at very least, moderate their drinking”.

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