Alcohol consumption linked to prostate cancer

Men who drink two or more alcoholic drinks a day are 20 per cent more likely to develop prostate cancer, according to an international study co-authored by a University of Victoria researcher.

This risk is likely to confuse some men who had previously been told that one to two drinks a day, particularly of red wine, could help protect them from heart disease.

Researchers from the National Drug Research Institute said their research was the result of combining 35 previous studies on alcohol and its link to prostate cancer. Using these larger numbers clearly showed that the risk of prostate cancer increased dramatically for men with the more alcohol they drank.

“We found that at one drink a day the risk was not significant but at two standard drinks, middle-aged men had about a 20 per cent greater chance of developing prostate cancer. For four drinks a day, the chance was 25 per cent higher and for six standard drinks a day, the risk was about 35 per cent higher,” said Associate Professor Tanya Chikritzhs, an author of the study.

Professor Chikritzhs said that the problem with small studies is that the results can be inconclusive or too mixed. If men are confused about balancing the risks and benefits of alcohol consumption, then they should err on the side of caution.

“I would advise men to follow the newly advised National Health and Medical Research Council guidelines and stick to less than two standard drinks per day,” she said.

“It’s important to be reminded in the face of publicity about alcohol having a protective effect, that it can be harmful … Prostate cancer is one of many cancers linked to alcohol, including mouth, colorectal and breast cancer for women.”

Prostate cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers in men worldwide and more independent research is needed to examine the various risks related to different levels of alcohol consumption.