More than 3000 studies have been published on the link between alcohol consumption and breast cancer. Those studies that have looked at the effects of alcohol in relation to hormone receptors have generally shown that the cancer risk is more closely tied to estrogen-positive than for estrogen-negative breast cancers such as triple-negative.
Now, researchers have looked at 3,431of those studies, which included 44,552 non-drinkers and 77,539 light drinkers, and made some general conclusions using that huge body of work. They determined that women who had one drink a day increased their cancer risk by 4 percent as compared with women who did not drink. Increased alcohol consumption also increased breast cancer risk, with women who had three or more drinks a day facing a breast cancer risk by as much as 50 percent higher than those who did not drink or had lower levels of consumption.
But the scientists went a step further and looked at the risk based on receptor status and determined that
alcohol consumption increased the overall risk of estrogen-positive breast cancer by 27 percent and increased the overall risk of estrogen-negative breast cancer by 14 percent.
So, yes, the risk is lower for women with TNBC and other forms of estrogen-negative breast cancer. But it exists. And it increases with increased alcohol consumption.
I limit myself to alcohol 2-3 times a week. When my husband has a glass of wine, I often make myself some cranberry tea or pour a glass of all-fruit black cherry juice. I don't even miss the wine I used to think I needed.
The research is published in the journal Alcohol and Alcoholism. More information on the link is at Medical News Today.
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