Is Alcohol Good For You? - Cancer
Although alcohol may have benefits for the heart, a new large study (reference 9) presents results of a large British study ("the Million Women Study" involving 1,280,296 middle-aged women routinely followed for cancer). In approximately 7 years of follow-up per woman 68,775 invasive cancers occurred. There was a significant correlation with alcohol consumption. For many types of cancer, the more drinks that were consumed, the higher the cancer risk. The abstract of the paper claims that the increase in breast cancer risk was 12% for every 10 grams (0.36 ounces) of alcohol consumed per day (Margin of Error between 9% and 14%). The increase in risk for any type of cancer was found to be 6% (Margin of Error between 4% and 7%). However, reading the paper carefully, and looking at the data in the paper, the story is different:
For women who drink up to 6 drinks per week, there is no significant increase in the total cancer risk.
In fact, it would seem from the study that the risk of lung cancer actually goes down for moderate (up to 6 drinks a week) women drinkers!
The incidence of breast cancer does go up for women who drink 3-6 drinks per week, but this is offset by a reduction in other types of cancer!
Of course, what we have here is only a correlation. We can't determine whether there is a causal effect that actually results from the alcohol consumtion. It would seem therefore, that the cardiac benefits of moderate drinking are not offset by an increase in cancer incidence, contrary to some articles in the popular press!