Daily drink 'worsens risk of bowel cancer'

A DAILY pint of beer or a large glass of wine increases your risk of developing bowel cancer by about 10 per cent, research revealed yesterday.

This higher risk of the disease - the third most common cancer in the UK - was found in people who drank just two units of alcohol a day.

But in those who drank three to four units, the danger of bowel cancer went up by 25 per cent.

The findings, based on a study of almost half a million people, could explain high rates of bowel cancer in the UK, particularly in Scotland where about 3,500 people are diagnosed with the disease each year.

Last week, figures showed that bowel cancer rates north of the Border - both the total number of cases and deaths - are higher than anywhere else in the UK.

The latest study, published in the International Journal of Cancer, looked at the alcohol consumption of almost 480,000 people across Europe.

After six years, 1,833 had developed bowel cancer.

From this, the researchers, funded by Cancer Research UK and the Medical Research Council, found that the more alcohol consumed, the greater the risk of bowel cancer.

Experts have repeatedly warned that people in the UK regularly ignore warnings to limit alcohol consumption.

Cancer Research UK recommends that women drink less than two units a day and men less than three.

Professor Tim Key, director of the cancer epidemiology unit at Oxford University, said: "It is important that people understand that they can reduce their risk of a number of different cancers, including bowel cancer, by cutting down on alcohol," he said.

However, the research is at odds with other studies on the supposed health benefits of alcohol, which have included suggestions that drinking red wine can protect the heart.

Dr Lesley Walker, Cancer Research UK's director of cancer information, said there was much confusion over levels of safe drinking.

"This partly arises over the increasing strength of some wines and beers and the fact that many pubs offer a large glass of wine that is actually equivalent to one-third of a bottle," she said.

"While there is increasing evidence that overindulging in alcohol can increase the risk of some cancers, research also shows that by far the biggest risk for life-threatening diseases is a combination of smoking together with drinking alcohol.

Emma Mowat, of Bowel Cancer UK, welcomed the study. "As we begin to more fully understand the effects of known bowel cancer risk factors on our health, we can continue to make informed decisions on the related impact of diet, lifestyle and alcohol consumption on people developing the disease," she said.

A spokeswoman for the charity Beating Bowel Cancer added: "Not only should we cut down on alcohol, it is also worth keeping in mind the importance of a healthy, balanced diet, exercising regularly and not smoking."

Source:news.scotsman.com