Might alcohol consumption affect the risk of prostate cancer?
A study analysed data on 10,920 men. In a seven-span, prostate cancer was detected in 2,129 of them, including 564 men with high-grade tumours, which grow and spread quickly. Those who consumed, on average, four or more drinks a day (totally rougly two ounces or more pure alcohol) five days a week in the year before diagnosis were more than twice as likely to have developed high-grade prostate cancer as were those who did not drink.
No link was found between prostate cancer and more-moderate drinking. Also, among men who had been randomly assigned to take finasteride as part of other research to test the drug's ability to prevent prostate cancer, heavy drinking blocked the effectiveness of the drug.
Who may be affected? Men. Health experts suggest that men consume no more than two alcoholic drinks a day. Drinking more raise the risk for high blood pressure, stroke, violence and injuries, including motor vehicle crashes, and can lead to addiction. Prostate cancer affects about on in six men in the United States. As detection and treatment methods have improved, the death rate for prostate cancer had fallen to about one in 35 men.
Caveats: Alcohol consumption data came from the men's responses to questionnaires, and long-term consumption was not assessed. Most heavy drinkers in study consumed beer.
You can find this study in the July 13 online issue of cancer. Learn more about prostate cancer at 1) http://www.cancer.gov/ 2) http://www.prostatecancerfoundation.org/ and 3) http://www.care-nexus.com/
