Alcohol Consumption and Breast and Ovarian Cancer Development: Molecular Pathways and Mechanisms
A link between alcohol consumption and increased risk of breast cancer is well known. It now is becoming clear that a similar association with ovarian cancer exists albeit less clear cut.
Alcohol abuse is common, it is estimated that alcohol is the cause of 5% of all deaths. The exact mechanism of increased cancer risk remains uncertain. Recent understanding suggests that in the case of ovarian cancer three important mechanisms are responsible. These are; hormonal modulation, DNA damage, and cellular oxidation.
Alcohol is metabolised in the liver, with acetaldehyde as an intermediate product. Both these substances can damage DNA and disrupt repair. The presence of alcohol in the body causes oxidative stress, with an imbalance of free radicals and antioxidants. In good health free radicals, which are oxygen containing molecules with an uneven electron charge, have an important function to control disease. If the balance is disrupted as with alcohol consumption cellular damage may occur.
Hormonal effects of alcohol are due to disruption of the normal metabolism via aromatase, sometimes causing breast cancer and Low-Grade Ovarian Cancer. More extensive damaging effect with increased ovarian cancer risk is suspected,
Further understanding will help to determine whether a safe level of alcohol consumption is possible and enable individuals to make their own risk assessment.
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