Alcohol

Suwal

Hi - I hear so much about what to eat and drink that I am confused. If I drink about 2 glasses of wine a week - will this give me a higher percentage that my breast cancer will reoccur? I have finished radiation and am starting Femora in a week.. any suggestions greatly appreciated

kmakm

Hi Suwal. This is a topic that falls into the 'can of worms' category...

Alcohol is a carcinogen, but then many things that we put into our bodies are. You have to balance your lifestyle, what makes you happy, what feeds your soul, with what's 'good' for you. For some of us that's going to be a glass a day, for others, only at Christmas or the like.

The science is in on alcohol consumption being a risk factor in developing a breast cancer (it is), but I don't thing there have been studies done on recurrences. I'd be fascinated to know if it's been looked at.

I've cut down a lot. I have a glass or two on two days a week, and special occasions, but I am no longer a daily drinker.

I found this a while back, from the UK, which I thought was interesting:

melclarity

@Suwal I agree, it's the million dollar question really and the jury is still out if you tend to look at statistics of everyone on the Forum for example or anyone you know, you'd probably say hmmm there's no more a link between alcohol and cancer and any other thing they come up with. The truth is they really don't know, the reason they say to exercise is purely to keep at a good weight and BMI, as this can lead to many diseases not just BC as they put. I'd be lucky now to drink a few times a month and its purely because through chemo everything changed. I love and enjoy it when I have a few glasses and Kate is right, I've always said it's everything in moderation and balance. The thing is if all these things were true none of us would have gotten it in the first place, so do what you feel is best for you. I know people who never drank got it as a Dietician at a seminar at Epworth said, its just a normal healthy balanced diet, nothing more, so no different to what you probably would have normally done. Do what feels good for you, I eat well and exercise because it makes me feel great...but I also enjoy wine whenever I feel like it and I love chocolate...oh boy....lol, there were no reasons for my recurrence...as I did everything they all advocate???!! hmmm so maybe it really comes down to the genetic mutations which are hundreds that are still unidentified in BC.  Hugs xo

Vangirl

Not that it proves anything either way, but I gave up alcohol completely for a year in 2017, only to be diagnosed with a fast growing breast cancer in February this year! My mum was a very infrequent tippler (and in addition she breastfed four children) and still succumbed to breast cancer in early middle age. 

kmakm

It will not cause breast cancer, but it does raise your risk. As do several other known factors, and as Mel says, many as yet unknown.

FYONA1

Hi suwal
i just wanted to let you know that I've never drank in all of my life and initially I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011 and this year I was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in my spine 

primek

Some studies say 1 glass of red wine is protective....sigh. So confusing. So I'm just sticking to tbat about 4 days a week. I have no breasts now and really do enjoy my red wine. I was never a heavy drinker pre bc. Actually I think I might have more now.

Sister

I asked the onc about alcohol earlier this month.  He replied that he reads every study in the vain hope that something will show that alcohol is good for you.  However, he did say that as far as he can tell from the research, drinking in moderation is fine - the problem comes with a drink every day that becomes two drinks every day, etc.  How to define the thin line is what is difficult.  My husband is convinced that alcohol is the cause of cancer even if he doesn't necessarily say so.

Did anyone watch the 60 minutes segment last night?  I didn't but wondered what their spiel was.

@kmakm That report would be interesting to read.  It appears that it is based on the heaviest drinking day rather than regular drinking - I wonder if that's factored in?

melclarity

I think the thing people need to remember is when they talk alcohol, realistically that is in all types of diseases not just cancer. I've never been a big drinker at all, and as some have stated here @FYONA1 has metastatic but never drank? All the studies in the world dont factor in absolutely everything if they did, we all would have come in there somewhere or resonated. @Romla glad you found my post funny...

Romla

Crumbs @melclarity there must be gremlins afoot as I have just read your post.I have no idea how I managed to LOL your post and have removed it .My sincere apologies that this happened.The only thing I can think of is I may have accidentally hit LOL as I remember seeing Kate’s table .My only excuse is I am quite vision impaired following eye surgery and need the magnifying support of my tablet to be able to read/comment atm and unfortunately may have touched LOL on your post.

Sister

I did that the other day on fb!  Very serious post and I hit the laughing emoji...didn't realise until afterwards and was mortified.

arpie

I've done it too, @Sister @Romla   -  very embarrassing!      I hope your eye recovers well from the surgery, Gail. xx

My hubby doesn't eat junk/fatty food, doesn't drink & has exercised 3 times a day since age 12-82 (he has been a World Class Athlete & Triathlete.)   He got stomach cancer & had to have most of it removed - quite ironic, I thought!    

So there really is no rhyme nor reason to why anyone gets cancer ....... 

I enjoy a couple of wines with my dinner.

Romla

Am so embarrassed and upset - I’m not even sure how I knew that @melclarity tagged me as not in my notifications - thank goodness I found it. 

Suwal

Thank you all for your advice and lol moments.  I did have a very small glass of champagne with neighbors last night to celebrate my heath! I think one glass a week will be my limit for now.  Thanks again 

Romla

Mel’s tag  appeared in an email but not on my blog page.I tend not to read emails from the blog relying on it appearing on the blog page as is duplication usually.Is the second time this week I have missed a post because of it.

melclarity

@Romla no stress honestly its all good. Happened to me before too lol x