Alcohol in the treatment of cancer. Can alcohol cause cancer. Does bust size affect susceptibility to breast cancer?

In addition, there is conflicting information about the relationship between alcohol intake and bladder cancer, lung cancer and stomach cancer.

The most embarrassing and unexpected claim in the report was that even moderate and small doses of alcohol cause and/or promote the development of cancer. In a meta-analysis of 222 studies that included 92,000 moderate alcohol drinkers with cancer and 60,000 no-alcohol drinkers with cancer, moderate alcohol consumption was shown to increase the risk of oropharyngeal cancer, squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus, and breast cancer. This meta-analysis also estimated that in 2004 moderate alcohol consumption was responsible for 5,000 oropharyngeal cancer deaths, 24,000 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma deaths, and 5,000 breast cancer deaths globally in 2004. It should also be noted that moderate alcohol consumption was not associated with colon and rectal cancer, liver cancer, and laryngeal cancer in this meta-analysis.

However, despite the high quality of this meta-analysis, it still has one weakness: “moderate” or “excessive” alcohol consumption of the respondents was assessed by the respondents themselves, and although they were given clear criteria for difference, they still may have underestimated or knowingly underestimate this figure. The tendency of participants in such studies to unconsciously or consciously underestimate their degree of adherence to alcohol is a scientifically proven fact. This can lead to misconceptions about the association of low doses of alcohol with the development of cancer, when in fact this type of cancer is provoked by much higher doses.

Where does the increased risk come from?

The biological mechanisms that mediate the association of cancer with alcohol are not fully understood. Alcoholic beverages typically contain at least 15 carcinogenic compounds, including acetaldehyde, acrylamide, aflatoxins, arsenic, benzene, cadmium, ethanol, ethyl carbamate, formaldehyde, and lead. Ethanol is the most important carcinogen in alcoholic beverages, and its rate of metabolism is determined by genetic mechanisms.

The first and most toxic product of alcohol metabolism is acetaldehyde. Ethanol that enters the body is oxidized by the enzymes alcohol dehydrogenase, cytochrome P4502E1, and catalase to form acetaldehyde. This metabolite is carcinogenic and genotoxic upon contact with the mucosa of the upper respiratory tract (pharynx, oral cavity, esophagus, larynx), where high concentrations of acetaldehyde cause mucosal hyperproliferation.

There are also indirect mechanisms by which alcohol contributes to malignant tumors. For example, alcohol is a folic acid antagonist, and by disrupting the absorption and metabolism of folic acid, it impairs DNA methylation. In breast cancer, alcohol can increase estrogen levels and the activity of insulin-like growth factor receptors, which in turn stimulate cancer cell proliferation. There are also other mechanisms that are mediated by the production of reactive oxygen species (oxygen ions, free radicals and peroxides) and reactive nitrogen species (peroxynitrite, etc.), as well as the role of alcohol as a solvent for tobacco carcinogens.

The bitter truth about strong alcoholic beverages

Type of alcohol: wine, beer, spirits - usually does not affect the risk of developing cancer, but esophageal cancer is an exception. The esophagus is lined with very small cilia that are easily destroyed by high concentrations of ethanol, such as those found in strong alcoholic beverages.

Alcohol and smoking

Combining smoking and drinking is considered by many people to be an enjoyable and acceptable activity. Smoking has long been known to be a risk factor for cancer. However, a significant increase in the carcinogenic effect of tobacco smoking with alcohol was found in relation to the risk of developing cancer of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, and esophagus; the highest risks were observed in heavy smokers and alcoholics. There was also a dose-dependent effect, especially noticeable in terms of the level of proliferation of the mucosa of the esophagus. Abstaining from cigarettes and alcohol can prevent up to 80% of oral cancers and up to 90% of laryngeal cancers.

But doesn't alcohol have a protective effect on the cardiovascular system?

Alcohol is a double-edged sword. Two decades ago, studies of the "French paradox" began to appear in the medical literature. It turned out that the doses of alcohol from minimal to moderate have a cardioprotective effect. Some observational studies have shown that the French, who had the highest levels of alcohol (particularly wine) consumption, had the lowest rates of cardiovascular disease.

To people far from medicine, this study could seem like a kind of “indulgence” for drunkenness, although other studies clearly indicated that the reduction in the risk of developing diabetes, stroke, heart failure, and overall mortality does not pay off the enormous harm that causes the body human chronic alcohol abuse. In particular, alcohol abuse provokes hypertension, atrial fibrillation, ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, and non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy.

The evidence for the harmful effects of alcohol is much stronger than the evidence for its beneficial effects. In addition, the benefit-risk ratio of alcohol use changes dramatically in favor of the risk in young people, since they are the ones most likely to suffer the negative consequences of acute alcohol intoxication (accidents, violence, and social problems). As a result, in the age category of men from 15 to 59 years, alcohol abuse is the leading risk factor for premature death.

Risk factor correction

Alcohol use is regarded as a modifiable risk factor for cancer. Physicians are encouraged to discuss this risk factor with patients and encourage them to reduce their exposure. How important is moderate alcohol consumption compared to all other risk factors for cancer? Is it worth the time and effort trying to convince patients to reduce their alcohol consumption, or is the game not worth the candle? Dr. Rehm explains: "We still don't know what causes 60% of cancers, but people can reliably reduce their risk of cancer by reducing alcohol consumption."

Dr. Pekka Puska, former director general of the Finnish National Institute of Health and Welfare and co-author of the WCR report, responded to this question: “Physicians should be aware of the risks of alcohol consumption and inform their patients about it, if necessary. However, for most patients, especially the elderly, moderate alcohol consumption does not significantly increase the risk, and therefore should not be pressured into avoiding alcohol completely. But with patients who have diseases that are directly aggravated by alcohol, doctors must be very firm, and strongly recommend to them specific suggestions and ways to completely abandon alcohol.”

People often want to know how much they can drink without much harm to the body, what dose of alcohol is not dangerous. "There is no absolutely safe dose of alcohol consumption", says Dr. Rem. "Drinking any dose of alcohol inevitably carries some risk, and this risk increases with the dose of alcohol."

Ministry of Health warns: alcohol is dangerous for your health

Alcohol is not an ordinary consumer product. The sale of alcohol requires clear regulation by public policy, special taxation, and the creation of a service sector to combat the damage it causes. This leads to the fact that the interests of public health and the interests of the alcohol industry are sharply different. The authors of the WCR report propose some forms of alcohol policy aimed at public health interests.

Dr. Puska says: "The prevalence of alcohol abuse is closely related to the general level of alcohol consumption in the population." Therefore, he believes that restrictions should apply not only to risk groups for alcoholism, but also to all other alcohol consumers.

Dr. Rehm insists that bottles of alcohol carry warning labels to remind them of the cancer risk associated with drinking any alcohol. Some countries have already introduced such warning labels, but they usually contain information only about the dangers of alcohol for pregnant women. Warning labels should explain the risks associated with alcohol consumption in a language that the average person can understand.

Reducing the availability of alcohol through pricing and taxation can reduce the amount of alcohol consumed, and thus alcohol-related health and social harms, including the risk of cancer and premature death.

Dr. Puska explains: “The risks associated with alcohol are not limited to cancer. Alcohol is linked to many other health problems. However, such a strong emphasis on the carcinogenic effect of alcohol, the creation of a separate report devoted to it, is due to the fact that such a clear relationship between alcohol consumption and the development of cancer is news to most people. We want to draw attention to this side of the problem and fill the existing knowledge gap. Of course, when we talk about alcohol-related problems with a particular patient, we will discuss not only the risks of malignant tumors, but the whole panorama of problems in general.

There are closely related concepts - alcohol and cancer, because people suffering from alcoholism are more likely to suffer from oncological diseases of certain organs. It is important to note that not everyone who abuses alcohol will develop cancer. Similarly, and vice versa, a complete rejection of alcohol does not guarantee the development of oncology.

With regular alcohol abuse and poor nutrition, the risk of developing cancer increases by 40-80%.

Years of research have identified several mechanisms:

1. Alcohol, entering the body, decomposes under the participation of the enzyme alcohol dehydrogese to acetaldehyde. This substance has toxic and carcinogenic properties. This organic compound damages the DNA of cells, primarily in those organs where oxidation occurs, and leads to protein mutation in cells. They begin to grow faster, their structure changes and function is disturbed.
2. When drinking alcohol, the normal intake of vitamins of groups A, B, C, important microelements stops. Since the cells do not have enough nutrients, they quickly stop working correctly and change under the influence of other factors.
3. The process of alcohol oxidation damages the DNA of cells, as well as the molecules of proteins, fats and carbohydrates.
4. Drinking beer increases the amount of the sex hormone estrogen in the body. Its excess can lead to the development of breast cancer.
5. Drinking people have low levels of folic acid in the body, because of this, cells cannot create new DNA with the correct chromosome set.

Of all the above mechanisms, we can summarize: cancer, and alcohol have a direct relationship. The use of alcoholic beverages harms the body at the cellular level, namely, changes begin in the cells during cancer. Mutated, they randomly divide and grow into huge tumors.

Target organs for the development of oncology with alcohol intake

According to statistics, certain types of malignant tumors develop more often in people who abuse alcohol.

These include:

1. Liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma), as a rule, this form passes from cirrhosis. According to WHO statistics, more than 700,000 people die of liver cancer every year.
2. Malignant tumor of the mouth, throat, larynx. More often this type appears in women.
3. Cancer of the esophagus and stomach. According to statistics, more than 600,000 people die every year around the world. This form affects people who have little alcohol dehydrogenase (an enzyme that breaks down alcohols).

Cancer in the mouth

1. Oncology of the small and large intestine. Mortality is 7-8% of all forms of cancer.
2. Tumors of the pancreas. About 200,000 people die every year around the world.
3. Mammary cancer. In the development of this species, vodka is not as terrible as beer. Regular consumption of a foamy drink increases the risk of getting sick by 2 times.

The amount of alcohol without the risk of getting sick

Alcohol can be drunk without harm to the body, but its amount should not exceed the established norm. In studies, scientists have found that women can drink one low-calorie drink per day, and men - two weak or one strong. One serving should contain no more than 12 grams of alcohol.

What is meant by these terms:

• one glass of vodka;
• beer - 0.33l;
• a glass of red wine.

It is important to understand that these doses are relative. Each person has their own reaction to alcohol intake and harm can be different. When a malignant tumor is detected, it cannot be taken categorically, in any form. Alcohol and cancer are not compatible.

Can you drink alcohol with cancer?

The answer to this question is unequivocal - absolutely not. Alcohol is especially dangerous for patients with oncology during treatment with chemotherapy and other drugs. Of course, you should not look for an answer to such a question on the Internet, the most reasonable solution is to ask a doctor.

However, according to numerous studies, alcohol consumption increases the risk of death by at least 3 times. The result is about 20 thousand deaths annually. It is especially dangerous to drink alcohol for patients with cancer of the throat, larynx, pharynx, esophagus and upper respiratory tract.

Myths about cancer treatment with alcohol

In today's high-tech world, when everyone has access to the Internet, many decide to cure cancer on their own without the help of qualified doctors. There is a wealth of information on this subject.

Myth 1 - Shevchenko Method

Essence: a suspension of sunflower oil and vodka is diluted. A cancer patient should drink this cocktail and completely refuse treatment in an oncology dispensary. According to the author of the technique, the patient only loses time for this.

Myth 2 - Drink a glass of red wine every day and cancer will never develop.

Proven fact. Studies have been conducted: people who drink wine also get cancer, just like non-users.

It is definitely impossible to cure oncology with traditional medicine. Being engaged in self-treatment, patients lose precious time, and doctors are helpless as a result.

To drink alcohol or not is the choice of every sane person. Drinking alcohol in moderation can even be beneficial. But dependence on them threatens not only physical and moral degradation, but also the development of various diseases, including cancer.

With a difficult environmental situation in the world, smoking and alcoholism, every day more and more people get sick with cancer. Alcohol and cancer are closely related concepts. For some, this is a combination of words, while for others it is a sentence.

What is the relationship between alcohol consumption and cancer? Here is how employees in the US say about this problem.

Alcohol is a general term for ethanol or ethyl alcohol, a chemical found in beer, wine, vodka, and some medicines, mouthwashes, tinctures, and essential oils (scented liquids derived from plants). Alcohol is produced by the fermentation of sugars and starches by yeast.

The main types of alcoholic beverages and their alcohol content:

Beers and ciders: alcohol 3-7 percent;
Wines, including sake: alcohol 9-15 percent;
Fortified wines such as port: alcohol 16-20 percent;
Liqueur, gin, rum, vodka, whiskey, which are made by distilling alcohol from fermented grains, fruits or vegetables: usually 35-40 percent alcohol, but may be higher.

According to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, a standard alcoholic drink in the United States contains 14.0 grams (0.6 oz) of pure alcohol. As a rule, this amount of pure alcohol is found in:

12 ounces of beer;
8 ounces of malt liquor;
5 ounces of wine;
1.5 ounces of liquor or gin.

The federal government's 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans define moderate drinking of up to one such drink (i.e., 0.6 ounces of pure alcohol) per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men. Heavy drinking is defined as having more than three drinks on any given day, or more than seven drinks per week for women, and more than four drinks on any given day, or more than 14 drinks per week for men.

What evidence is there that drinking alcohol causes cancer?

Based on extensive reviews of scientific research, there is a strong scientific consensus regarding the link between alcohol use and several types of cancer. In its report on carcinogens, the National Toxicology Program of the US Department of Health and Human Services shows that alcohol consumption is a human carcinogen.

The results of the study show that the more alcohol a person consumes, especially if it happens regularly, the higher their risk of developing cancer. Based on 2009 data, 3.5 percent of all cancer deaths in the United States (about 19,500 deaths) were alcohol related.

Clear patterns have emerged between alcohol consumption and the development of the following cancers:

Head and neck cancer

Alcohol use is a major risk factor for some head and neck cancers, especially cancers of the mouth (excluding the lips), pharynx (throat), and larynx. People who drink 50 grams or more of alcohol per day (about 3.5 or more drinks per day) have at least two to three times the risk of developing these cancers than non-alcoholics. In addition, the risk of these cancers is significantly higher among people who use tobacco in addition to alcohol.

Esophageal carcinoma

Alcohol use is a major risk factor for a specific type of esophageal cancer called squamous cell carcinoma. People who inherited an alcohol-metabolizing enzyme deficiency were found to have a significantly increased risk of alcohol-related squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus.

Liver cancer

Alcohol use is an independent risk factor and a major cause of liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma). Chronic infection with hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus are other major causes of liver cancer.

Mammary cancer

More than 100 epidemiological studies have examined the relationship between alcohol consumption and the risk of breast cancer in women. These studies have consistently found an increased risk of breast cancer associated with increased alcohol consumption. A meta-analysis of 53 of these studies (which included a total of 58,000 women with breast cancer) found that women who drank more than 45 grams of alcohol per day (approximately three drinks) had a 1.5 times higher risk of developing breast cancer. .

The risk of breast cancer was higher at all levels of alcohol consumption: for every 10 grams of alcohol consumed per day (just under one drink), the researchers observed a small (7 percent) increase in the risk of breast cancer.

The Million Women Study in the United Kingdom (which included more than 28,000 women with breast cancer) gave a slightly higher risk of breast cancer at low to moderate levels of alcohol consumption: every 10 grams of alcohol consumed per day was associated with 12 -percentage increased risk of breast cancer.

colorectal cancer

Alcohol use is associated with a modestly increased risk of colon and rectal cancer. A meta-analysis of 57 studies that examined the association between alcohol consumption and colorectal cancer risk found that people who regularly drank 50 grams or more of alcohol per day (about 3.5 drinks) had a 1.5 times higher risk of developing colorectal cancer. For every 10 grams of alcohol consumed per day, there was a small (7 percent) increase in the risk of colorectal cancer.

How does alcohol increase the risk of cancer?

Researchers have identified several ways that alcohol can increase your risk of cancer, including:

The metabolization (breakdown) of ethanol in alcoholic beverages to acetaldehyde, which is a toxic chemical and a probable human carcinogen.

Acetaldehyde can damage both DNA (the genetic material that makes up genes) and proteins through a process called oxidation.

Impaired the body's ability to absorb various nutrients and vitamins that may be associated with cancer risk, including vitamin A B-complex nutrients such as folate vitamin C; vitamin D; vitamin E; carotenoids.

An increase in blood levels of estrogen, a sex hormone associated with the risk of breast cancer.

Alcoholic beverages may also contain various carcinogenic contaminants that are introduced during fermentation and production, such as nitrosamines, asbestos fibers, phenols, and hydrocarbons.

How does the combination of alcohol and tobacco affect the risk of developing cancer?

Epidemiological studies show that people who use alcohol and tobacco have a much greater risk of developing cancer of the mouth, pharynx (throat), larynx, and esophagus than people who either only drink alcohol or smoke. In fact, the cancer risks associated with alcohol and tobacco use are multiplicative: that is, they are greater than would be expected from combining the individual risks associated with alcohol and smoking.

Can a person's genes influence the risk of alcohol-related cancer?

An individual's risk for alcohol is influenced by their genes, in particular the genes that code for enzymes involved in the metabolism (breakdown) of alcohol.

For example, one way the body metabolizes alcohol is through the activity of an enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase, or ADH. Many people of Chinese, Korean, and especially Japanese ancestry carry a version of the ADH gene that codes for a "superactive" form of the enzyme.

This superactive ADH enzyme speeds up the conversion of alcohol (ethanol) to toxic acetaldehyde. As a result, when people who have an overactive enzyme drink alcohol, acetaldehyde builds up. Among people of Japanese descent who have this overactive ADH, the risk of pancreatic cancer is higher than in patients with the more common form of ADH.

Another enzyme called aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) converts toxic acetaldehyde into non-toxic substances. Some people, especially those from East Asia, carry a gene variant for ALDH2 that codes for a defective form of the enzyme. In people with a defective enzyme, acetaldehyde builds up when they drink alcohol.

The accumulation of acetaldehyde has such unpleasant consequences (including facial flushing and heart palpitations) that most people who inherit the ALDH2 variant cannot consume large amounts of alcohol. Thus, most people with a defective form of ALDH2 have a low risk of developing alcohol-related cancers.

However, some people with a defective form of ALDH2 may become tolerant of the unpleasant effects of acetaldehyde and consume large amounts of alcohol. Epidemiological studies have shown that such individuals have a higher risk of alcohol-related esophageal cancer and head and neck cancer than individuals with a fully active enzyme who drink comparable amounts of alcohol. These increased risks are only seen among people who carry the ALDH2 variant and drink alcohol - they are not seen in people who carry the variant but do not drink alcohol.

Can drinking red wine help prevent cancer?

Researchers conducting research using purified proteins, human cells and laboratory animals found that certain substances in red wine, such as resveratrol, have anti-cancer properties. Grapes, raspberries, peanuts, and some other plants also contain resveratrol. However, human clinical trials have not provided conclusive evidence that resveratrol is effective in preventing or treating cancer.

What happens to cancer risk after a person stops drinking alcohol?

Most of the studies that have looked at the reduction in cancer risk after a person has stopped drinking have been on cancers of the head, neck, and esophagus. Overall, these studies have shown that alcohol cessation is not associated with an immediate reduction in cancer risk; it may take years for the risk of cancer to decrease and become the same as for those who do not drink alcohol.

For example, a pooled analysis of 13 oral and pharyngeal cancer studies found that cancer risk did not begin to decline until at least 10 years after alcohol was stopped. Even 16 years after the subjects stopped drinking alcohol, they had a higher risk of cancer than those who never drank alcohol.

Several studies have also found that the risk of developing esophageal cancer slowly decreases with time since alcohol cessation and does not approach that of non-drinkers for at least 15 years after alcohol cessation.

Is it safe to drink alcohol while undergoing cancer chemotherapy?

As with most cases related to the treatment of each individual, it is best for the patient to discuss this issue with their healthcare team. The doctors and nurses who will perform the treatment will be able to tell you if it is dangerous to drink alcohol while taking certain chemotherapy drugs or other drugs given with chemotherapy.

Most people know that alcohol is destructive to the body. But few people realize that the use of alcoholic beverages contributes to the development of oncological diseases of various organs.

With the systematic abuse of alcohol-containing products, a person develops chronic diseases of the digestive tract and liver, which can subsequently lead to the formation of malignant neoplasms in these organs.

But, is it possible to drink alcohol if the cancer has already been diagnosed? Are alcohol and cancer compatible?

The effect of alcohol on the human body

Experts have already proven several years ago that those who drink alcohol have a sharply reduced immune system. But it is she who allows you to fight various infections and viruses that enter the body.

Against the background of poor immunity, cancerous tumors develop, because the internal organs are not able to fight on their own against bacteria. This happens because the phagocyte cells that are produced by the immune system cannot function normally.

What affects the inability to fight infections, and subsequently oncological diseases occur. Therefore, doctors say that drinking alcohol after oncology has been diagnosed is prohibited, because it adversely affects health.

It is believed that people suffering from alcoholism are 10 times more likely to develop cancer than those who lead a healthy lifestyle.

Against the background of alcoholism, cancer cells can develop in the digestive tract, prostate, mammary glands, ovaries, liver, and oral cavity.

This is provoked by the fact that for a long time the indicators of lymphocytes, lysozyme, and barrier functions of the hepatic system have decreased. And also the constant use of alcoholic beverages increases the level of hematocrit, the number of red blood cells, in addition, an imbalance of vitamins and microelements occurs in the body.

In oncology, immunity plays an important role, it is not only necessary to prevent the development of the disease, but also to fight the disease. After all, with this diagnosis, the patient is prescribed a course of chemotherapy, which has its negative consequences. In order to cope with this, a person simply needs good health.

It is worth noting that the female body perceives alcohol and cancer a little differently than the male body. The fair sex does not need to drink alcohol in large quantities in order to develop chronic diseases.

Women, unlike men, are more susceptible to the effects of alcohol, so even small doses of strong drinks can lead to alcoholism in the future.

The relationship between alcohol and cancer

Crayfish or carcinoma is an oncological disease that is provoked by the development of malignant neoplasms in the tissues of various organs. In the fair sex, they are most often formed in the mammary glands, and in men in the lungs and prostate.

This ailment, as a rule, develops for a rather long time and does not make itself felt for a long time. Since the tumors do not cause discomfort, and in the early stages there are no symptoms.

Over the course of long medical studies, it has been found that alcohol provokes the occurrence of cancerous tumors.

Firstly, ethyl alcohol, which is part of any drink, is a toxic substance. It can influence the structure of DNA, and also gradually transforms protein cells.

Carcinogens contained in alcohol modify the volume of the liver, which does not allow it to function normally. In addition, against this background, the oxidative process of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates occurs, which leads to the formation of malignant tumors.

Also, alcohol does not allow nutrients to be absorbed into the blood, that is, the necessary vitamins of group B, C, D, E do not enter the soft tissues, and this affects the fact that the tumor begins to grow.

If you drink alcohol regularly, then the level of the hormone estrogen increases in the body, which in high concentration contributes to the development of breast cancer.

Alcoholics have low levels of folic acid, which means that cells cannot synthesize the new essential elements of the DNA structure.

Is it possible to drink alcohol with cancer

Many who suffer from this disease are wondering if it is possible to drink alcohol with cancer?

From the above, you can accurately answer this question that no, you can’t. There is no complete compatibility between them. In particular, it is necessary to refrain from drinking alcohol during the course of chemotherapy.

Due to the fact that ethyl alcohol can reduce the concentration of the active medicinal substance, and in addition, when combined, there may be negative side effects. After all, even with colds, doctors do not advise drinking alcohol, as it will entail a number of adverse consequences for the body and health in general.

In the treatment of cancer, the patient needs to find out from the doctor how all the stages of treatment take place. He will tell you in detail what you can do and what you should refrain from. Since throughout the course of treatment, as well as after rehabilitation, the patient will have to adhere to certain rules.

If the patient continues to drink alcohol after the diagnosis of cancer is made, the consequences can be the most deplorable, in most cases, this ends in death.

A person who consumes alcohol in large doses should consult a doctor in order to jointly begin treatment against this disease. Since in that case, all therapeutic and drug treatment against oncology will not have an effect.

How to drink alcohol without causing cancer

Scientists have identified a certain rate that can be consumed without risk to health. However, it is an average, due to the fact that each person has his own individual characteristics, and the effect of alcohol can be different.

And so, in one alcoholic serving of a cocktail there can be 14 grams of ethyl alcohol. That is, a serving of alcohol can be 0.5 liters of beer for men, and one point of wine for women.

However, you can’t use it every day, as addiction can occur, which will eventually lead to alcoholism and the development of various chronic diseases.

A person can consume this portion only 2-3 times a week. However, those with a genetic predisposition to developing cancer should refrain from drinking alcohol, even in small doses.

Even in small doses, alcohol can destroy the walls of the liver and the lining of the stomach, so those who want to protect themselves from cancer need to completely reconsider their outlook on life.

It is necessary not only to abandon the use of alcohol-containing products, but also to change the diet. It should include only healthy foods that contain a large amount of vitamins and minerals.

Natural sources of nutrients are vegetables and fruits. Their daily use will increase immunity, which will be a good prevention against cancer.

In addition, you need to start playing sports, just sign up for a gym and visit it three times a week. This will not only restore muscle tone, improve blood circulation, but also bring the body into perfect shape.

A person's health depends only on himself. Therefore, answering the question of whether it is possible to drink alcohol, everyone gives an answer for himself. After all, cancer and alcohol are two concepts that do not combine with each other.

Therefore, if life is dear to a person, alcohol should be completely excluded in case of cancer. It is also worth remembering that people who drink are always at a higher risk of developing cancer than a person who does not abuse alcohol.

I have wanted to write this article for a long time. A friend of mine got breast cancer and never mind raising a glass! How many times have I brainwashed her to no avail. And then the thunder struck.
If no one denies the harm of smoking, then many people think about alcohol that small and medium doses of alcohol are only useful! Indeed, in the most reputable medical journals they write - red wine reduces the risk of coronary heart disease. And this is where the confusion begins.

Ancient wine, selected beer, French champagne - but are they carcinogens? Nobody even wants to hear the truth about alcohol and cancer. Meanwhile, alcohol consumption is growing, and with it, the incidence of cancer is growing.

In 1988, the International Cancer Research Group alcohol on the list of carcinogens. In 2014, 5.8% of cancer deaths were alcohol-related. That is, out of 16 cancer patients, one has earned his illness due to drunkenness. And this figure is inevitably growing, especially among women.

It is not necessary to delve into the controversy, but could it be otherwise? Just global world statistics confirms: alcohol is a carcinogen.
Cancer of the mouth, larynx, pharynx, esophagus, breast, colon and rectum, gallbladder and liver is directly related to alcohol consumption and is dose dependent! Probably the pancreas.
The risk of lung, stomach, prostate cancer is also associated with alcohol consumption.
In 2015, the results of 30 years of observations were published for 88,084 women and 47,881 men. Among women 19269 and among men 7571 cases of oncological diseases.

• An increased risk of cancer has been noted in both female and male drinkers.
• The risk of developing cancer increases in women even with moderate alcohol consumption.
• There is a higher risk of cancer in smokers and drinkers at the same time.
• The saddest thing is that the risk of cancer increases even in those people who do not have a burdened heredity. In other words, alcohol itself causes cancerous mutations in the body.

Those who drink three glasses a day (heavy drinkers by international criteria) are at high risk of 5 types of cancer:

• upper respiratory tract and esophagus;
• breast cancer (women);
• colorectal cancer;
• melanomas;
• lung cancer

And moderate drinkers have all the same risks, only lung cancer threatens them to a lesser extent.

12 other cancers (cancer of the stomach, pancreas, liver, brain, thyroid, kidney, gallbladder, prostate, ovary, body and cervix, and blood) are more associated with high alcohol consumption. It is not entirely clear how high the risk of getting these types of cancer in moderate and low drinkers.

The researchers compared alcohol use among half a million people with cancer (486,538 people) with 23 different cancers. It turned out that the relative risk (RRs) for pharyngeal cancer in drinkers was 5.13, for esophageal cancer this figure was 4.95, 1.44 for colon cancer, 2.6 for upper respiratory tract, 2.07 for liver cancer, 2.65 for gallbladder cancer, also RRs were elevated in breast cancer, stomach cancer, pancreatic cancer, melanoma.

One large study focused exclusively on breast cancer in women and alcohol use. For 11 years, 334,850 women from 30 to 70 years old from 10 European countries were examined. During the years of observation, cancer occurred in 11,576 women, with breast cancer being the most common, and it was
dose dependent! There was no difference between hormonal and non-hormonal breast cancers, and there was no difference between premenopausal and postmenopausal breast tumors. But there was a dependence on the age of the patients and the duration of alcohol consumption. Breast swelling was more common in young women who started drinking before their first birth.

How does alcohol cause cancer?

Ethanol and its main metabolite, acetaldehyde, are classified as "group 1 carcinogens" and their carcinogenic effects have been studied in both humans and laboratory animals.
But cancer is a disease that depends on many factors. Therefore, in each organism, carcinogenesis goes its own way. Ethanol provokes malignant degeneration of the liver through the previous formation of cirrhosis with the accumulation of acetaldehyde in the liver.

Ethanol stimulates the formation of highly reactive oxygen species generated by cytochrome P450 2E1, which have various mutagenic effects on DNA.
The first point of contact with ethanol is saliva, this is where the conversion of ethanol to acetaldehyde begins. In saliva, the level of acetaldehyde is 10-100 times higher than in the blood, and this explains the carcinogenic effect of alcohol on the oral cavity, esophagus and upper respiratory tract.
A decrease in retinoic acid creates conditions for cell proliferation and possibly for their cancerous transformation.
Ethanol also has a hormonal effect. Indirectly, through the deterioration of liver function, estrogens accumulate in the body. By the way, both men and women. Have you seen alcoholic men with boobs on a hairless chest? Yes, yes, they are the most - estrogens! In addition, genetic risks, which already exist in many people, become higher under the influence of alcohol and are realized in malignant diseases.

By how much does alcohol increase the risk of cancer?

There is a serious question whether there are safe doses of alcohol?
It is generally accepted that a person who drinks three glasses a day of standard alcohol is a heavy drinker. Even more precisely: three glasses for men and two glasses for women, approximately 14 g of pure alcohol in one glass. And anything less than this is the so-called “grey zone” of moderate consumption.
However, scientists who study the relationship between alcohol and cancer answer categorically: there are no safe doses!

Is “good expensive alcohol” so dangerous compared to “bad” alcohol?

Scientists tried to trace whether malignant diseases are associated with low-quality alcohol. It turned out, alas, if you drink expensive alcohol, eat it well and satisfyingly, smoke expensive cigars, then you still have the same risk of cancer. By the way, the studies I am writing about were conducted in Europe, Canada, the USA, and Australia.
And in underdeveloped countries, the figures may turn out to be even more ominous.

Duration of drinking

Years of drinking and age of onset play a role. The earlier alcohol is started and the longer it continues, the higher the risk of cancer. Drinking one glass a day for 25 years is definitely detrimental to the body.

Smoking

Alcohol irritates the salivary glands, making the mouth and esophagus more vulnerable to carcinogenic effects from tobacco smoke. In other words, if you drink, and even smoke, the tumor is looking forward to you!
A study of malignant tumors of the head and neck (11221 cancer cases and 16168 - the comparison group) showed that the risk of cancer in smokers and drinkers at the same time is about 20 times higher than the risk in "only drinkers". The risk of head and neck cancer is greater in men.

Tale of the benefits of alcohol

Numerous studies by cardiologists have shown that moderate alcohol consumption is beneficial in relation to the prevention of cardiovascular disease.
But not everyone: a glass of red wine at dinner has a positive effect on coronary vessels in older men. But alcohol provokes alcoholic cardiomyopathy, arrhythmia episodes, hypertension, stroke. Alcohol has a negative effect on acute coronary episodes, acute myocardial infarction. And in a long-term study, it does not affect mortality from heart disease in any way.

And most importantly: yes, there is a benefit for the coronary vessels, but there is also the danger of "evil" too.

The young lady who drinks alcohol “for the prevention of cardiovascular disease” is deeply mistaken. The harm, in her case, far exceeds the "imaginary benefit."

Conclusion

You can drink, but you must know that you are drinking a CARCINOGEN, and do it consciously!

Doctor A. Novochadova

Bibliography: 1. Alcohol and Cancer: Drink at Your Own Risk Laura A. Stokowski, RN, MS Medscape November 23, 2015 2. American Institute for Cancer Research. The AICR 2015 Cancer Risk Awareness Survey Report