'1 DRINK' LINK TO CANCER
As little as one drink a day can increase your risk of getting cancer, doctors warn.
A group of the nation’s top cancer specialists released a report this week that cited the dangers of even modest drinking — highlighting alcohol’s role in developing breast and throat cancer, among other forms of the disease.
“Alcohol drinking is an established risk factor for several malignancies, and it is a potentially modifiable risk factor for cancer,” according to a statement by The American Society of Clinical Oncology.
The group suggests a proactive approach to minimize drinking by both educating the public and supporting policies that “prevent excessive use of alcohol.”
The report combines scientific research that connects al- cohol to several types of cancer. For example, scientists have found that even moderate amounts of alcohol can increase a woman’s chance of getting breast cancer by 5 to 9 percent.
Other types of cancer that have convincing links to alcohol consumption include liver, pharyngeal, laryngeal and esophageal, according to research from the International Agency for Research on Cancer cited in the ASCO report.
The group’s warning comes at a time when alcohol consumption is on the rise.
Dr. Carrie Wilkens, co-director of the Manhattan-based Center for Motivation and Change, which also has facilities on Long Island and in Massachusetts, said that the new research should be a wake-up call about the dangers of alcohol in general.
“The use of alcohol is associated with more deaths than prescription opiates, heroin and cocaine combined,” she told The Post.
“People often drink alcohol mindlessly. It’s accepted in our culture, and people don’t really stay conscious of the risks associated with using it.
“So if the study increases awareness and gets people thinking about the risks . . . then that is a great outcome.”
A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in September reported that high-risk drinking — four or more drinks a day for women, five or more for men — has soared by about 30 percent over the past decade.
Dr. Marleen Meyers, the director of Cancer Survivorship at NYU Perlmutter Cancer Center, said that people should try to drink as little as possible.
“When making a decision about how much to drink, particularly for cancer reduction, less is probably best, meaning no more than one to two drinks per week or less,” Meyers said.