According to a recent report, many women are unaware of the link between breast cancer and this bad habit widespread in our society. We will explain everything to you.
On this Friday, March 8, 2024, International Women’s Rights Day, the European branch of the World Health Organization (WHO) revealed alarming data. Namely: only one in five women are aware that alcohol is a risk factor for breast cancer. However, breast cancer is considered a major health problem since 600,000 cases of breast cancer were detected in 2022 on the continent.
“Lack of understanding of this link poses a significant barrier to cancer prevention and a challenge for women’s health across Europe,” explains the WHO. More precisely, “21% of women in 14 European countries are aware of the link between alcohol consumption and the risk of developing breast cancer”, adds the WHO. Even worse, “Awareness is even lower among men: only 10% know of this link.”
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A link established for decades
However, the discovery of a link between alcohol consumption and breast cancer is not new. “The biological mechanisms linking alcohol to cancer are well established and supported by decades of evidence from around the world,” explains the WHO. Before adding: “For women in Europe, breast cancer is the leading cancer caused by alcohol, accounting for 66% of all alcohol-attributable cancer cases.”
Concretely, alcohol affects the levels of estrogen, the hormone that plays an essential role in the development of breast cancer. And the WHO notes that even low alcohol consumption is enough to increase the risk of cancer. “More than half of alcohol-attributable breast cancer cases in Europe are not due to excessive alcohol consumption, and around a third of new annual cases are due to consumption equivalent to two small glasses of wine per day”, can we read in the press release.
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Breast cancer: the importance of limiting alcohol
Unfortunately, alcohol consumption is high in Europe. On the continent, we observe the highest level of alcohol consumption in the world and one in 10 deaths is linked to alcohol. “Reducing or limiting our alcohol consumption is a great starting point for reducing harmful effects and prioritizing health,” notes Hans Kluge, the organization’s regional director.
If the link between tobacco and lung cancer is clearly established, the link between alcohol and breast cancer therefore remains unknown. The WHO therefore asks “countries to put clear warnings on alcohol products, as they already do for tobacco products.” Indeed, “Women across Europe have the right to know about the link between alcohol and cancer, especially breast cancer,” insists Hans Kluge.
Passionate about women’s news, Agathe has been deciphering the latest trends for aufeminin since 2022. Her favorite areas? Psychology, nutrition and well-being advice, without forgetting the tips…