Archive for the ‘Alcohol’ Category

Alcohol may thwart breast cancer’s spread

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Posted 19 Nov 2011 — by James Street
Category Alcohol, Breast Cancer, Lung Metastases, metastases
By Rachael Rettner

updated 11/17/2011 8:48:58 PM ET

Although drinking alcohol appears to increase the risk of developing breast cancer, drinking may be beneficial for those who already have the disease, a new study of mice suggests.

Of the mice in the study that had breast cancer, those that were given moderate to high levels of alcohol had fewer instances of cancer spreading to other parts of the body than alcohol-free mice did.

The study is one of the first to look at the effect of drinking on cancer metastasis, said study researcher Gary Meadows, a professor of pharmacy at Washington State University.

However, Meadows said it’s important to conduct further studies so that doctors can best advise breast cancer patients on the risks and benefits of consuming alcohol after diagnosis. Whether humans would experience the same effect is unknown, and in any case, it could be impractical as a treatment: The mice that fared best in the study drank so much alcohol that if they were people, they probably would be considered alcoholics, Meadows said.

The findings were presented Nov. 3 at the American Institute for Cancer’s annual meeting in Washington, D.C.

For the study, tumors were injected into mice’s mammary glands (where breast cancer usually originates), and the mice were then divided into four groups. Three groups drank water mixed with differing levels of alcohol (low, moderate or high), and the fourth group drank only water.

After four weeks, the researchers checked the mice to see if the cancer had spread to their lungs.

Mice who drank water spiked with a high dose of alcohol were 60 percent less likely to develop metastases in their lungs than those that drank plain water.

Some protection against metastases was seen in mice in the moderate-dose group, but none was seen in the low-dose group.

The researchers aren’t sure how alcohol, which is carcinogenic, may act to suppress breast cancer’s spread. The study showed alcohol did not affect the growth of tumors in the breast. So it may have affected the spread of the tumor in a different way, such as allowing the immune system to better attack the cancer at other sites in the body.

Although we don’t know what effect alcohol has on metastases in people, the study “provides some clues as to what could potentially occur,” said Somdat Mahabir, a nutritional epidemiologist at the National Institutes of Health, who was not involved with the study.

Previous studies showed alcohol can reduce metastases in animals with certain types of skin cancer.

Although alcohol has toxic effects, it could still theoretically be a treatment.

“I’m not opposed to anything that may have a therapeutic effect,” Mahabir said. “But we need to weigh the risks versus the benefits.”

Studies that ask questions about alcohol consumption before and after cancer diagnosis, and that follow patients over time, could provide a better idea of how alcohol affects cancer metastases in people, Mahabir said.

Pass it on:High doses of alcohol suppress the spread of breast cancer tumors in mice.

 

What’s the healthiest way to drink? By Dr. Richard Beliveau, Special to QMI Agency

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Posted 20 Dec 2010 — by James Street
Category Alcohol

What’s the healthiest way to drink?

By Dr. Richard Beliveau, Special to QMI Agency

The excessive consumption of alcohol is directly responsible for approximately two million deaths in the world each year, many of which are the result of cancer.

Consequently, the Fonds Mondial de Recherche Contre le Cancer (part of the World Cancer Research Fund) recommends limiting your daily consumption of alcohol to one or two glasses for men, and one for women.

Numerous studies have identified alcohol has one significant risk factor relating to many types of cancer, notably those affecting the mouth, larynx, esophagus, colon, liver and breast.

For example, the regular consumption of 80 grams of alcohol — which corresponds to a bit more than half a bottle of wine — increases the risk of esophageal cancer by 18%, compared to people who consume no alcohol.

TOXIC EFFECTS

This increased risk becomes even more pronounced amongst smokers; they have a 44% higher risk of developing this type of cancer.

While the prolonged exposure of cells to ethanol (the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages) can cause cancer, it appears that the carcinogenic effects of alcohol are predominately caused by its transformation into acetaldehyde, a very reactive compound that can cause mutations in the genetic material of cells (DNA).

The numerous bacteria found in the mouth and colon can also oxidize the ethanol into acetaldehyde, generating large quantities of this carcinogen in saliva, as well as the digestive tube of people who drink large quantities of alcohol.

Studies have shown that at certain concentrations, acetaldehyde can lead to an overly powerful growth of cells in the mucus lining the digestive tract, thus provoking toxic effects that help in cancer growth.

It is also important to note that variations in the genetic makeup of different people, particularly amongst Asians, can considerably change the metabolism of alcohol and increase its potential as a carcinogen.

However, in certain cases the impact of these mutations is so significant that it provides these people with added protection. For example, certain mutations in the enzymes that metabolize the alcohol can lead to such a large production of acetaldehyde that it results in nausea and vomiting, leading the person to give up alcohol altogether.

MODERATION

Despite the negative effects of alcohol, many studies have clearly shown that the moderate consumption of alcohol can in fact be good for you.

For example, it is now known that people who drink moderately (1-2 glasses for men and one for women) have a reduced incidence of cardiovascular diseases, one of the main causes of death in the western world.

This protective effect is particularly pronounced if this moderate consumption is part of a healthy lifestyle, one with a good diet of fruits and vegetables, regular physical activity and no smoking. Meanwhile, to make sure these benefits aren’t countered by an increased risk of cancer, this consumption must remain moderate.

RED WINE

Red wine is, without question, the alcohol with the most positive effects on our health. In fact, this very complex beverage contains thousands of different chemical compounds, particularly a compound named resveratrol, which has multiple different positive effects on the cardiovascular system, specifically by reducing the formation of clots that can block blood vessels and lead to serious cardiac problems.

This protective effect of red wine against cardiovascular diseases is well illustrated with the “French Paradox”, according to which people who regularly drink red wine have a low mortality rate related to cardiac issues. This is the case despite the presence of other risk factors for these illnesses, such as smoking, hypertension and high cholesterol.

The resveratrol found in red wine is one of the only molecules with a nutritional origin that can simultaneously act on several steps essential to the growth of cancer, as well as preventing the appearance of cancer cells by keeping those that are already present from reaching maturity.

For example, certain studies have shown that the moderate consumption of wine (one to seven glasses per week) can considerably reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer, notably lung, prostate and esophageal cancer.

With anything more than this type of moderate drinking, however, the risk of cancer goes up considerably. This illustrates, once again, to what extent alcohol, and even red wine, is a double-edged sword that we must know how to use properly.

Dr. Richard Beliveau holds the chair in cancer prevention and treatment at the University of Quebec in Montreal.