From the AACR Blog: Binge Drinking and the Risk of Early-onset Breast Cancer
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month; journalists are welcome to use the blog post and other AACR resources in their reporting
PHILADELPHIA – In advance of October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)’s blog Cancer Research Catalyst has published a timely post that discusses binge drinking and breast cancer risk in young adults:
Alcohol consumption at any level is known to increase the risk of certain cancers, including breast cancer, and various studies have established that higher levels of alcohol consumption can lead to a higher risk of these cancers. Researchers are now investigating whether binge drinking, or consuming large amounts of alcohol in a short period of time, could be contributing to the rise in early-onset breast cancer.
As discussed in the blog post, Mary Beth Terry, PhD, a professor of epidemiology and environmental sciences at Columbia University, examined national breast cancer incidence data collected between 2010 and 2019 and paired it with drinking-pattern data from 2000 to 2019. Terry and colleagues found that greater rates of binge drinking were associated with higher rates of luminal A breast cancer in women under the age of 40.
“From a public health perspective, we know that it may be difficult to get people to stop drinking entirely … but we can at least explain the dangers of binge drinking and explain why it is important to cut back,” said Terry.
However, most people are not receiving this message. According to a recent study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only about 38% of adults were asked by their doctor if they binge drink. Among those who reported binge drinking to their health care providers, 80% said they were not counseled to reduce their drinking.
The blog post also explores concerning trends in binge drinking and the possible connection between binge drinking and early-onset colorectal and gastrointestinal cancers.
Resources for Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October
Journalists are encouraged to use this blog post in their reporting. Please cite the American Association for Cancer Research and link to the post:
For more information and resources about breast cancer, visit AACR’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month page.