What Do We Know About Alcohol & Cancer Risk?
- Actress Gwyneth Paltrow, who has been experiencing hormonal changes since she was 45 years old, is in the midst of menopause and while coping with symptoms, and the recent California wildfires, she has admitted to using alcohol to cope.
- Menopause, which the National Institute on Aging describes as a normal part of aging, typically begins in women between the ages of 45 and 55. Symptoms of menopause include body changes, hot flashes, and aches and pains.
- Perimenopause, which Paltrow previously admitted she’s in the “thick” of, is the transitional time frame surrounding menopause. A time when a women’s body releases eggs less regularly, makes less estrogen, becomes less fertile, and has shorter and more irregular menstrual cycles, as per Johns Hopkins Medicine.
- “Menopause means different things to different people. The average experience begins with sleep disturbances, hot flashes, night sweats, and cessation of periods. The actual medical definition of menopause is more than twelve months of no periods,” Cedars-Sinai Medical Center OB/GYN and oncologist Dr. Bobbie J. Rimel explains to SurvivorNet.
- According to the National Cancer Institute, there is a clear link between consuming alcohol, especially drinking it regularly over time, and an increased risk of several cancers. Those cancers include head and neck, esophageal, liver, breast and colorectal.
- Oncologists say moderate alcohol consumption is an answer for people looking to balance cancer risk with the enjoyment they get from drinking.
Speaking about her symptoms with board-certified OB-GYN, Dr. Mary Clare Haver, on a recent episode of her Goop podcast, titled “What No One Ever Told Us About Menopause,” the mom of two explained, “I’m really in the thick of it right now, so I’m all over the place.
Read MoreAfter noting how she has “always been a real sleeper” until menopause, Paltrow, who previously dealt with postpartum depression and has oral cancer in her family history, continued, “I went through a particularly bad time with it. There were nights where my anxiety was just crushing.View this post on Instagram
“I would wake up and start thinking about every mistake I’ve ever made, every person’s feelings I ever hurt, every bad decision I’ve ever made. I’d be up for six hours. It was crazy.”
She explained further, “I’ve never had anxiety in my life. And suddenly, I was lying in bed feeling completely overwhelmed. It’s a feeling I wouldn’t wish on anyone. Hopefully, I’m coming out the other side.”
RELATED: Alcohol Can Cause Cancer — So Why Don’t Beer, Wine, Whiskey and Other Booze Labels Warn Us?
Looking back to the start of this year, in the midst of the southern California wildfires that plagued the state, Paltrow confessed, “I think I drank every night. I was medicating.”
She added, “Normally, now at this point, I don’t drink a lot at all. Maybe I’ll have one drink a week. But my symptoms were completely out of control. It was the first time I really noticed, like, causation in that way.”
RELATED: What You Need to Know About Alcohol Consumption
We’re glad to see Paltrow is not longer turning to much less alcohol than she did earlier this year, but her alcohol intake reminds us about alcohol and heightened cancer risk.
Family history plays a significant role in understanding your predisposition to certain illnesses and managing your overall health, and in Paltrow’s case, both her parents battled oral cancer.
It’s important to note that getting menopause at an earlier age has been linked to heightened risk of certain cancers.
In an earlier interview with Dr. Therese Bevers, M.D., medical director of MD Anderson’s Cancer Prevention Center, offered some insight into the link between menopause and how it affects a woman’s cancer risk.
Dr. Bevers says menopause doesn’t cause cancer, however, as women get older, their risk of developing cancer rises.
“Starting menopause after age 55 increases a woman’s risk of breast cancer and endometrial cancer. That’s probably because she’s been exposed to more estrogen,” Dr. Bevers explains.
“During a woman’s menstrual cycle, estrogen stimulates the uterus and breast tissue. So the more menstrual periods a woman has, the longer these tissues are exposed to estrogen.”
She noted that women who begin the menopausal transition at a later age “also may have an increased risk of ovarian cancer, possibly because they have had more ovulations.”
Dr. Bevers suggests women try safer alternatives when coping with menopausal symptoms, instead of first trying hormonal therapy, as it’s been associated with an increased risk of certain cancers.
RELATED: What You Need to Know About Your Family History
She advises women to make “small lifestyle changes,” to reduce symptoms, like avoiding coffee before showering can make a big difference.
Other safe and health ways to manage symptoms, according to Dr. Bevers, include:
- Exercising regularly
- Reducing stress
- Getting enough sleep
- Avoiding hot flash triggers like coffee, tea and alcohol
- Quitting smoking
“The same ways you reduce your cancer risk before menopause: exercise, eat a healthy diet, don’t smoke and avoid secondhand smoke, and maintain a healthy body weight,” Dr. Bevers adds. “Research shows that gaining weight after menopause increases a woman’s risk of breast cancer, but losing weight after menopause can actually reduce your risk.”
The Difference Between Menopause and Early Menopause
Menopause is described by the National Institute on Aging, as “a point in time 12 months after a woman’s last period.”
“The years leading up to that point, when women may have changes in their monthly cycles, hot flashes, or other symptoms, are called the menopausal transition or perimenopause,” as per the institute.
The average age women go through the menopausal transition, which usually lasts approximately seven to 14 years, ranges between ages 45 and 55.
“The duration can depend on lifestyle factors such as smoking, age it begins, and race and ethnicity,” the institute explains. “The menopausal transition affects each woman uniquely and in various ways. The body begins to use energy differently, fat cells change, and women may gain weight more easily. You may experience changes in your bone or heart health, your body shape and composition, or your physical function.”
As for early menopause, the National Cancer Institute says it’s a condition which causes the ovaries to stop working and menstrual periods to stop before a woman turns 40. It’s a transition that can lead to fertility issues and symptoms of menopause.
Additionally, early menopause is split up into two types, primary and secondary. According to the National Cancer Institute, “There are two types of early menopause, primary and secondary. Primary early menopause means that the ovaries do not function normally. This may be because they have been removed by surgery, or it may be caused by some cancer treatments and certain diseases or genetic conditions.
“In secondary early menopause, the ovaries are normal but there is a problem getting hormone signals to them from the brain. This is usually caused by diseases of the pituitary gland or hypothalamus. Some women with early menopause sometimes have menstrual periods and may be able to have children. Also called ovarian failure, ovarian insufficiency, and premature menopause.”
Gwyneth Paltrow’s Parents Battled Cancer
Gwyneth Paltrow lost her dad Bruce Paltrow to oral cancer in 2002, and supported her actress mom Blythe Danner, 82, through a rare oral cancer battle after a 2018 diagnosis—putting her at a significantly higher risk of getting oral cancer due to a strong family history of the disease.
Blythe was diagnosed with a type of oral cancer called adenoid cystic carcinoma in March 2018. According to the National Organization for Rare Disorders, ACC is a relatively rare form of cancer that most commonly develops in the salivary glands or other regions of the head and neck.
“I started feeling very woozy and I was forgetting everything,” Blythe explained of her symptoms prior to diagnosis. “And then I felt a lump in my neck, right next to where Bruce had found his [in 1999].”
Blythe chose the keep the news from her daughter for quite some time, but she eventually revealed her diagnosis to Paltrow.
“I was obviously very shocked,” Gwyneth said. “It was scary. And it felt really eerie because it was so similar [to my dad’s].”
For treatment, Blythe underwent two surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation and several years of alternative treatments followed by a third surgery in 2020. She is happily in remission today.
“It’s a sneaky disease,” Blythe said. “But I’m fine and dandy now. And I’m lucky to be alive.”
Alcohol and Cancer Risk
Gwyneth Paltrow’s admittal of using alcohol to cope amid menopause symptoms reminds us of alcohol’s relation to cancer risk. According to the National Cancer Institute, there is a clear link between consuming alcohol, especially drinking it regularly over time, and an increased risk of several cancers. Those cancers include head and neck, esophageal, liver, breast and colorectal.
More On Alcohol & Cancer
- Alcohol Can Cause Cancer — So Why Don’t Beer, Wine, Whiskey and Other Booze Labels Warn Us?
- Alcohol Can Increase Your Liver Cancer Risk in Multiple Ways — Here’s What We Know
- Alcohol Can Increase the Risk of Developing Breast Cancer
- Alcohol Intake Has a Big Impact on Colon Cancer Surgery
- Alcohol Consumption Increases Cancer Risk. Less Booze Is Associated With Lower Cancer Risk, New Data Adds To The Case For Moderation
- New Study Finds Excessive Alcohol Use in Cancer Survivors, Putting them at Risk for More Cancer
- Warning to Drinkers: ‘Strong Link’ Found Between Alcohol and Deadly Cancers
A study published in JAMA Network Open about two years ago found that people with “heavy drinking levels had an associated higher risk” of developing alcohol-related cancers “than those who did not drink.” The study included 4.5 million participants who self-reported their drinking habits. The results concluded people who reduced their alcohol consumption lowered their risk.
Conversely, “Those with moderate or heavy drinking levels who quit drinking had a higher all cancer incidence than those who sustained their levels, but when quitting was sustained, this increase in risk disappeared.”
Additionally, the American Cancer Society warns that alcohol consumption can increase your risk for many different types of cancer. Considering cancers of the mouth, throat, voice box and esophagus, for example, alcohol “clearly” increases risk. That being said, the ACS notes that drinking and smoking together puts you at a much higher risk for these cancers than drinking or smoking alone.
Alcohol Can Increase the Risk of Developing Breast Cancer
“This might be because alcohol can help harmful chemicals in tobacco get inside the cells that line the mouth, throat, and esophagus,” the ACS website states. “Alcohol may also limit how these cells can repair damage to their DNA caused by the chemicals in tobacco.”
When it comes to liver cancer, “long-term alcohol use has been linked to an increased risk.” When you regularly drink a lot of alcohol, liver damage can occur and lead to inflammation and scarring a possible explanation for the increased risk.
We also know there’s a clear link between breast cancer and alcohol consumption. In November 2017, the American Society of Clinical Oncology published a statement citing evidence that links alcohol to multiple cancers and calling for reduced alcohol consumption as a way to cut people’s cancer risk. But many women said they had been drinking more during the pandemic, and 70 percent weren’t aware of the resulting increased cancer risk, according to a SurvivorNet survey in February 2021.
RELATED: Warning to Drinkers: ‘Strong Link’ Found Between Alcohol and Deadly Cancers
The ACS also reports that alcohol use has been linked with a higher risk of cancers of the colon and rectum with stronger evidence for this in men than in women, though studies have found the link in both sexes.
Does Alcohol Impact the Risks for Colon and Other Cancers?
Dr. Heather Yeo, a colorectal cancer surgeon at New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, also previously spoke with SurvivorNet, revealing she believes alcohol increases risk for certain cancers but acknowledged that the data was mixed, especially for colon cancer.
“I do think that high levels of alcohol certainly predispose to a certain number of cancers, including pancreatic and liver cancer, and may predispose to colon cancer,” she said.
“But there’s also some data that shows that low levels of alcohol, or a glass of wine here and there, may actually lower your risk of colon cancer.”
Making Decisions On Alcohol Consumption & Tips To Help You Avoid It
It’s important to note that alcohol consumption may increase the risk of developing these cancers, but it doesn’t necessarily cause these cancers. That being said, it’s hard to know what to do if you’re concerned about your alcohol intake increasing your risk of various cancers.
Dr. Heather Yeo previously stressed the importance of moderation, telling SurvivorNet, “For women, anything over a half a glass or a glass a day is probably not helping your overall health. For men, they can probably go one to two glasses before they start seeing health effects.”
If you happen to struggle with alcohol in times of stress, Victoria Martin’s story may inspire you. Martin is a breast cancer survivor and wellness coach who used her own experience to help others with alcohol addiction.
Speaking to SurvivorNet in an earlier interview, Martin shared some helpful tips and actionable steps people can use to help break unhealthy habits and cope with stress without alcohol.
- Mindset: Instead of looking at it like this is something you have to give up, try making a tiny shift in your language and thinking that still feels true. Have an open mind and think about what you will gain and learn, rather than approaching from deprivation.
- Be Curious: What would it feel like to experience some new thoughts and feelings to replace the worn-out ones? It is empowering to realize that you can change your patterns and see what is on the other side.
- Understand This is Not the Garden of Eden: Thinking of anything as a “forbidden fruit” creates even greater cravings, feelings of resentment, and deprivation. You are simply getting curious and creating changes that you get to make. Also, emotional attachments to our habits are very real, so it is perfectly healthy to acknowledge and honor these feelings.
- Create a Toolbox: Habits that no longer serve us, did serve a purpose at some point, and that is part of why we use them past their expiration date. You may be surprised at how uncomfortable some moments can be, but you can learn tools and tactics that will make it easier than staying stuck.
- Find Your People: You are not alone. Luckily, there is strength in numbers and a community where you can connect with people who understand what it is like. Sharing your experience won’t just help you feel less alone, but you will be helping others.
- Drop the “Shoulds”: One of the quickest ways to be defeated is by “shoulding ourselves.” Expecting to be perfect and tearing ourselves down will only lead to our maladaptive habits gaining more of a foothold. Practice speaking to yourself the way you would speak to a friend and see how kindness gets you moving in the right direction.
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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