WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ALCOHOL AND BREAST CANCER? 

Many Canadians do not know that drinking alcohol of any kind increases the risk of breast cancer. The Canadian Cancer Society estimates that nearly 40% of Canadians are not aware that alcohol consumption increases the risk of developing cancer. 

Here are the facts: 

• Alcoholic beverages, specifically the ethanol content found in these drinks, are a known cancer-causing substance. Also, called a carcinogen. 

• Alcohol consumption is associated with at least 7 different cancers (i.e., breast, colorectal, esophageal, liver, mouth, throat, and voice box cancers). 

• All types of alcoholic beverages are harmful (i.e., wine, beer, liquor), because all contain ethanol, a cancer-causing substance.  

• The idea that wine or red wine may be healthy or healthier than other alcohol types is outdated and a myth. 

• Biological females are more likely to experience damage from alcohol consumption than biological males. This is because in general females weigh less and female hormones may be more sensitive to alcohol than males. 

• Even drinking low levels of alcohol increases the risk of breast cancer, and the amount of risk increases with the number of drinks. 

• Alcohol increases the risk of breast cancer by roughly 10% per drink/day. 

• The impacts of drinking alcohol after a breast cancer diagnosis are still unclear. 

• Some but not all evidence suggests that breast cancer survivors who drink alcohol may be at a higher risk of their cancer reoccurring. More research is needed. 

Here are some tips: 

• Increase Knowledge: Drinking alcohol increases your risk of developing cancer, regardless of beverage type. 

• Stop Drinking Entirely: In line with Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health, no amount of alcohol is safe to consume, and it is best to avoid it all together. 

• Reduce Drinking: If you do consume alcoholic beverages, try to incorporate more alcohol-free days or substitute your routine with non-alcoholic options or mocktails (non-alcoholic beverages that mimic the presentation of a cocktail). 

• Policies: Various groups across Canada are working on developing and implementing policies that would reduce alcohol consumption across Canada.  

HOW WILL DATA FROM HEAL HELP?  

• HEAL will provide information about alcohol consumption from up to 100,000 Canadians. Participants are asked to tell us what alcoholic beverages they drank in the past 24 hours, as well as how often and how much they typically drank over the past year.  

• This information will be used by researchers to answer important questions. We plan to use the HEAL Study data to describe alcoholic beverage consumption behaviors across Canada, including identifying groups of people who are drinking above the recommended level. 

• When it comes to understanding alcohol and health, every piece of information helps bring the bigger picture into focus. 

STUDY REMINDER 

The HEAL study is currently collecting data. If you’ve been invited to HEAL but haven’t had a chance to take part, there’s still time. If you haven’t received an invitation yet, don’t worry, it may still be on the way. Your participation will help us build the largest collection of diet data in Canada. 

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