A recent cancer study based on 1.3 million British women offers yet more evidence that alcohol consumption increases the risk of breast cancer if you smoke.British middle-aged women were surveyed at various breast cancer screening clinics about their drinking habits, and had their health tracked for seven years.The women were classed in 3 categories: no drink, 2 drinks or less a day and 3 drinks or more a day.

A quarter of the women reported no alcohol consumption. Nearly all the rest reported fewer than three drinks a day; while the average was one drink a day. The study compared the lightest drinkers with people who drank more.

The conclusion of the University of Oxford researchers was that extra drink per day increased the risk of breast cancer if you were a smoker. The numbers were no different for non-smokers. These results were published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. The type of alcohol – whether it be wine, beer or liquor – didn’t matter – except for red wine . Population-wise, there is an estimate of 13 per cent breast cancer cases in Britain .This may be attributable to alcohol for a population which is known to eat less fruits and vegetables in all Europe.

Elsewhere, moderate alcohol usage has long been thought to be heart-healthy, something the new research doesn’t address, but that prompts repeated debate about safe levels. U.S. health guidelines already recommend that women consume no more than one drink a day; two a day for men, whose weight are higher.
This kind of information is important for us to know and consult our physician about the various risk factors we have. If you smoke you can drink red wine moderately, if you don’t smoke, you can drink other alcohols with moderation.