A new review of
existing studies finds that drinking alcohol raises the risk of prostate
cancer. Prostate cancer is the
second most common cancer in American men and the second leading cause of
cancer deaths in men, preceded only by lung cancer.
When pooling the
data of 27 existing studies, researchers found that even having 1-2 drinks a
day significantly increases risk of prostate cancer and that as men's alcohol consumption
increases, their level of prostate cancer risk also increases.
Some previous
analyses of the relationship between prostate cancer and alcohol consumption
were inconclusive. The researchers of
the current study believe this was due to what they call “abstainer bias",
the common practice in studies of categorizing former (sometimes heavy)
drinkers who quit in the same group as people who never drank alcohol. This has the result of underestimating the
role that alcohol plays in disease.
Alcohol
consumption is an important risk factor for many types of cancer. A causal relationship exists between alcohol
consumption and cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, colon-rectum,
liver, and female breast; a significant relationship also exists between
alcohol consumption and pancreatic cancer, skin cancer, leukemia, and cancers
of the cervix, vulva, and vagina. Evidence of exactly how drinking increases
the risk of prostate cancer has not been established but researchers believe it
may be due to alcohol's genotoxic effects, its role in elevating estrogen
levels, and the changes it causes to how the body processes folate.
What to do: Studies indicate even low levels of alcohol
consumption increase prostate and many other cancers so no level of consumption
is safe with it comes to cancer. While
moderate alcohol consumption does appear to be mildly cardioprotective, the
American Heart Association does not recommend alcohol intake because it increases
the risk of "high blood pressure, obesity, stroke, accidents, suicide, and cancer". It recommends that if
you drink alcohol, do so in moderation. This means an average of one to two
drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women. A drink is defined as
one 12 oz. beer, 4 oz. of wine, 1.5 oz. of 80-proof spirits, or 1 oz. of
100-proof spirits. Additionally, to help
prevent prostate cancer, consume a healthy diet
that's lower in meat and total fat and rich in a variety of fruits and
vegetables (especially berries, tomatoes, and cruciferous vegetables such as
cabbage and broccoli), beans and legumes, and omega-3 rich fish such as salmon.
Adapted from
articles available at:
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/872085
https://medlineplus.gov/news/fullstory_162033.html
Source:
Zhao J, Stockwell
T, Roemer A, Chikritzhs T. Is alcohol
consumption a risk factor for prostate cancer? A systematic review and
meta–analysis. BMC Cancer 2016 16:845. Published online 15 November 2016. DOI: 10.1186/s12885-016-2891-z
