Teen Drinking Linked To Increased Risk Of Precancerous Breast Lessions

Precancerous Breast Lessions

According to a new study conducted on 29,000 young women, small amounts of alcohol ingested daily can substantially increase the risk of benign breast lesions. Important to remember is that these  benign injuries can lead with time to cancer. The study, published recently in the journal Pediatrics, highlight the already established link between alcohol and breast cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, women who drink the equivalent of five drinks have an increased risk 1.5 times higher in cancer than those who do not drink alcohol. Dr. Graham Colditz, a professor of surgery and associate director for prevention and control at the Siteman Cancer Center of Washington University School of Medicine in St.. Louis, notes that the risk of cancer is substantial for young women who drink alcohol daily. Study results show that the risk increases to 15% for every 10 grams of alcohol ingested. Dr.Colditz  also cautions that such  women can reduce this risk by changing behavior and lifestyle.

Drinking

Even if the link between alcohol and breast cancer has not been clearly established, it seems that alcohol affects estrogen and androgen levels, meaning their growth. Also, apparently alcohol leads to  DNA lesions and cancer cells have a higher metastatic potential. It is well-known that alcohol lowers levels of folic acid (vitamin B9) which is important in the synthesis and repair process of the cellular DNA. However, it seems that the role of folate in cancer is bivalent, because not only low levels of folic acid can lead to early carcinogenesis, but also increased levels can promote tumor growth. Regarding breast cancer, several studies suggest that an adequate level of folate is associated with decreased risk of breast cancer. However, studies are controversial in this regard. There have been studies that have shown that folate supplementation with 300 mg / d in women who consume alcohol may reduce the risk of breast cancer. Interestingly, researchers found that folate intake is not related to benign breast tumors, but alcohol has.

The study was conducted on a sample of 29 000 young women who responded to questions about how often they  drink, how much etc .Researchers analyzed the results and found that as the amount of alcohol consumed is higher your risk of developing cancer is higher. After a follow-up period of 10 years, over 600 women had already developed benign breast tumors. Note that not all benign lesions lead to cancer but it is an important risk factor.

Researchers point out the fact that alcohol consumption and alcohol especially in young people influence health later in life and that it is important to lead a healthy lifestyle.