Episode Chapters
- Introduction: Does an Apple a Day Keep the Doctor Away?Free Chapter10:45An Introduction to Radiation1:31Paper chase 1: The Middle Path of Sodium6:30Drugs not to use in Myasthenia Gravis11:11Diabetes: Selecting the Medication20:29What is Radiation?5:35Paper chase 2: Varenicline Does Not Increase Depression or Suicidal Ideation3:49Dysfunctional Uterine Bleeding in Adolescents: Diagnosis19:22The Empathy Checklist10:34Dysfunctional Uterine Bleeding in Adolescents: Treatment12:35Paperchase 3: It’s Not Only the Heart That Suffers After an MI5:59Units of Radiation5:19Diabetes: ACE inhibitors, Continuous Glucose Monitoring19:01Paperchase 4: Is Folate the Magic Elixir for Stroke Prevention?6:12Is Alcohol Good, Bad, or a Little Bit of Both?23:54Paperchase 5: The Breast Biopsy Kappa Conundrum5:48Diagnostic Imaging Radiation Doses3:34The Multi-Morbidity Patient25:01The Summary10:54
Alcohol can reduce cardiovascular risk in certain patients, but it’s also a strong carcinogen. All things in moderation, but what does that mean when considering the benefits and harms of a glass of wine?
Some Alcohol, Some Empathy, and a Little Restless Genital Full episode audio for MD edition 208:03 min - 98 MB - M4AHippo Primary Care RAP July 2015 Summary 449 KB - PDF
Stephen P. - July 25, 2015 3:37 PM
Are there any cancers with risk not increased by alcohol?
Christina M., MD - July 27, 2015 5:53 AM
Thanks for your question! Yes, there actually are.
Alcohol is known to increase the risk of cancer (about 3.5% of all cancer deaths in the US or about 19,500 deaths per year in 2009) for the following cancers: Head and neck (especially oral cavity, pharynx, and larynx), esophageal, liver, breast, and colorectal.
For the following cancers, numerous studies show either inconsistent data or no association with alcohol use: pancreas, ovary, prostate, stomach, uterus, and bladder.
Finally, there are 2 cancers where alcohol use is actually associated with a decrease risk of cancer: renal cell and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Of course, there are many more types of cancers, and we don't have data about possible effects of alcohol (at least, not yet).
Hope that helps!
Source/References:
1. http://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/alcohol/alcohol-fact-sheet
2. http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/dietandphysicalactivity/alcohol-use-and-cancer
3. Bellocco R, Pasquali E, Rota M, et al. Alcohol drinking and risk of renal cell carcinoma: results of a meta-analysis. Annals of Oncology 2012;23(9):2235-2244. [PubMed Abstract]
4. Tramacere I, Pelucchi C, Bonifazi M, et al. A meta-analysis on alcohol drinking and the risk of Hodgkin lymphoma. European Journal of Cancer Prevention 2012;21(3):268-273. [PubMed Abstract]
Robert S., MD - July 28, 2015 3:57 PM
I don't think that I heard it mentioned in the talk, but if I did I am sorry for this question: What it the number needed to consume. If I am going to talk to patients about cutting out alcohol, they need to know how important this is. Do the studies on humans show a 10% absolute risk reduction or a 0.1%. As James McCormick said: “General practitioners would do better to encourage people to live lives of modified hedonism, so that they may enjoy, to the full, the only life that they are likely to have.” – James McCormick, Lancet, 1994. Most reasonable people would not want to take a statin for 5 years for a 1 in 100 chance of benefit and most reasonable people are not going to be concerned about a 1 in 1000 increase in risk from a daily drink of alcohol. The French paradox seems to suggest that the effect in humans is small.