Alcohol increases the risk of breast cancer
Alcohol increases the risk of breast cancer in women and heavy drinking may increase the risk in men (1). Drinking alcohol during pregnancy may increase the risk of breast cancer in daughters (2). In the UK it is estimated that 8% (around 4,400) of female breast cancer cases are linked to alcohol consumption (3, 4).
Does the type of alcoholic drink matter?
Any type of alcoholic drink increases the risk (5). All alcoholic drinks – be they beer, wine or spirits – contain ethanol, which is what causes harm. Different drinks contain different amounts of alcohol.
|
Type of drink
|
Alcohol by volume | Volume of drink | Alcohol
(grams) |
Alcohol (units) |
| Single-shot of spirits | 40% | 25ml | 8g | 1 unit |
| Alcopop | 4% | 275ml | 8.8g | 1.1 units |
| Pint of beer | 4% | 568ml | 18.4g | 2.3 units |
| A small bottle of beer | 5% | 330ml | 13.6g | 1.7 units |
| A small glass of wine | 12% | 125ml | 12g | 1.5 units |
| Standard glass wine | 13% | 175ml | 18.4g | 2.3 units |
| Pint of cider | 12% | 125ml | 12g | 1.5 units |
How much alcohol increases breast cancer risk?
The more you drink, the more your breast cancer risk increases (6). Even very light drinking (1 drink/week) increases your risk (7). Binge drinking (more than 6 units or 4 drinks in a short period) may be especially harmful (8). One study found that pre-menopausal women who binge drink have twice the risk of breast cancer compared to non-binge drinkers (9). Some evidence suggests that drinking alcohol in adolescence and before a first pregnancy may increase risk more (10). For men, heavy drinking increases risk. Heavy drinking is twice the UK guidelines of 14 units/week which means 28 units or ~15 drinks/week). Light drinking may also increase male breast cancer, but more studies are needed.
Does alcohol increase the risk of all types of breast cancer?
Alcohol consumption is mainly associated with oestrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer.
Alcohol and breast density
Alcohol consumption increases breast density, which is strongly associated with increased breast cancer risk. It may also increase the risk of benign breast disease, which is itself a breast cancer risk factor (11, 12).
Alcohol and other risk factors
There may be a stronger association between alcohol and breast cancer risk among women who have hormone replacement therapy (HRT) (13). Risk is also increased for people who drink alcohol and smoke.
How does alcohol increase your risk of developing breast cancer?
More research is needed into how alcohol increases breast cancer risk (15).
For more prevention tips visit our Prevention Hub
For the full background briefing on alcohol and breast cancer
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1. Li, N. et al. (2019). Global burden of breast cancer and attributable risk factors in 195 countries and territories, from 1990 to 2017: results from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. Journal of Hematology & Oncology 12:140. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31864424/.
2. Stevens, R. G. and Hilakivi-Clarke, L. (2001). Alcohol exposure in utero and breast cancer risk later in life. Alcohol and Alcoholism 36 (3): 276–277. https://academic.oup.com/alcalc/article/36/3/276/170149
3. Brown, K. F. et al. (2018). The fraction of cancer attributable to modifiable risk factors in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the United Kingdom in 2015. British Journal of Cancer, 118(8), 1130. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41416-018-0029-6
4. This estimate is based on the number of cases of breast cancer in the UK which was 55,176 in 2017. Breast cancer statistics | Cancer Research UK (accessed 7.1.20).
5. Freudenheim, J. L. et al. (2020). Alcohol’s effects on breast cancer in women. Alcohol Research 40(2): 11. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32582503/
6. Sun, Q. et al. (2020). Alcohol consumption by beverage type and risk of breast cancer: A dose-response meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. Alcohol and Alcoholism 55(3): 246-253. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32090238/
7. Shield, K. D. et al. (2016). Alcohol Use and Breast Cancer: A Critical Review. Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research 40(6): 1166–1181. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27130687
8. Sánchez-Bayona, R. et al. (2020). Binge Drinking and Risk of Breast Cancer: Results from the SUN (Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra) Project. Nutrients 12(3): 731. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32164388/
9. Sánchez-Bayona, R. et al. (2020). ibid.
10. Freudenheim, J. L. et al. (2020). op cit
11. Voevodina, O. et al (2013). Association of Mediterranean diet, dietary supplements and alcohol consumption with breast density among women in South Germany: a cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health 13:203. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23497280/
12. Freudenheim, J. L. et al. (2020). op cit
13. Freudenheim, J. L. et al. (2020). op cit
14. Lui et al. (2015). op cit.
15. World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research. Continuous Update Project Expert Report 2018. Alcoholic drinks and the risk of cancer. op cit.
