Cancer risk 'encourages sobriety'

Alcohol does raise the risk of breast cancer

A majority of women would be willing to cut their alcohol consumption if they thought it would reduce their risk of breast cancer, research suggests.

However, a poll by Breakthrough Breast Cancer found only 7% of women surveyed were aware of any link.

Alcohol consumption is known to present a small but significant increase in breast cancer risk.

Drinking more than the recommended daily alcohol limit is an increasing trend in women of all ages.

Drinking less alcohol is one of the few things women can do to reduce their risk Baroness Delyth Morgan

Office of National Statistics figures show that the trend is most marked in young women aged 16-25.

In this group drinking above the recommended limit has more than doubled from 15% in 1988/89 to 33% in 2002/03.

The Breakthrough survey found that 12% of women would stop drinking completely, 27% would limit their drinking to one unit a day and 14% would try to reduce their alcohol intake to reduce their breast cancer risk.

Power to change

Baroness Delyth Morgan, chief executive of Breakthrough Breast Cancer, said: "We don't yet know all the causes of breast cancer but we do know that alcohol, HRT, the contraceptive pill, early periods, late menopause and not having children can all increase risk.

"Unfortunately, most of the established breast cancer risk factors are things which are outside of our control.

"However, drinking less alcohol is one of the few things women can do to reduce their risk.

"It's encouraging that so many women, especially young women, are willing to consider this change."

Dame Gill Oliver, of the charity Macmillan Cancer Relief, said: "It is heartening to hear that young women aged would cut down their drinking to reduce their risk of getting breast cancer in later life.

"However, a survey by Macmillan Cancer Relief found that one woman in five never checks her breasts for signs of breast cancer and only 42% of women aged 55 and over checked their breasts at least once a month despite being the age group most at risk.

"I think this shows that the messages are getting through to younger women, but we still have a long way to go in terms of educating older women about breast cancer and how to be breast aware."

Government guidelines recommend that women should drink no more than 2-3 units of alcohol per day.