Drinking causes 5% of all cancers and 20% of breast cancer

The Cancer Council of Australia has recently released a position statement on drinking and risk for cancer. The full report is available at http://www.cancer.org.au/Healthprofessionals/PositionStatements/alcohol.htm and a briefer version was published in today's Medical Journal of Australia (http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/194_09_020511/win10641_fm.html)

The risk
The report estimates that 5% of all cancers are due to drinking alcohol. Drinking alcohol is as big a risk for cancer as smoking and asbestos says Cancer Council Head Professor Ian Olver in recent media coverage (http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/05/02/3205240.htm). 20% of breast cancer is caused by drinking.

They recomend
"the Cancer Council recommends people limit or avoid drinking alcohol. Those who do not drink should not take up drinking alcohol. For people who do drink alcohol, recommended amounts are an average of no more than two standard drinks a day for men, and an average of no more than one standard drink a day for women."

Andrew