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Recurrence risk goes up with more consumption?

Page last modified on: October 14, 2008

Question from Gloria: Regarding wine and breast cancer, I have been under the impression that red wine is good for everyone because of the pigment in the skin of the grapes. I drink wine socially on the weekends. I've been treated for breast cancer 9 years ago. Am I at a higher risk for recurrence because I drink 6 glasses of wine every weekend?: Answer —Jennifer Sabol, M.D., F.A.C.S.: It's very difficult to quantify or to be able to calculate somebody's absolute risk for developing cancer based on the number of glasses of wine that they consume. I think as a general rule, 1 glass of wine per day would be considered a fairly low consumption, with very minimal, if any, increased risk. Whereas there are actually people who consume 5-6 glasses per day, and that is a more substantial increase and where the incrementally larger risks have been seen. I think your 2-3 glasses of wine socially on a Friday and Saturday night probably has very minimal increase in your risk of developing breast cancer, and no increase of risk of recurrence.

On Wednesday, November 15, 2006, our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Eating and Drinking Through the Holidays. Diana Dyer, M.S., R.D. and moderator Jennifer Sabol, M.D. answered your questions about how to stay healthy during the most hectic, high-calorie time of year.

The materials presented in these conferences do not necessarily reflect the views of breastcancer.org. A qualified healthcare professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product or regimen discussed. All readers should verify all information and data before employing any therapies described here.

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Meet the Experts

Diana Dyer, M.S., R.D. is a registered dietitian in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and a two-time breast cancer survivor.

Jennifer Sabol, M.D., F.A.C.S. is a breast surgeon who directs the newly developed Breast Care Center at Lankenau Hospital in Wynnewood, Pa. Among her many interests, Dr. Sabol spearheads several research initiatives to advance the care for women with breast cancer and improve methods of breast cancer detection and treatment.