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Does drinking affect length of survival?

Page last modified on: October 21, 2009
Question from Bonnie: Do you think drinking alcohol has a big effect on your length of survival, if you have too much? Especially during festive periods?
Answers —Diana Dyer, M.S., R.D.: I drink no differently during the holiday season than I do during the rest of the year. I do limit my alcohol intake to one drink per day, and I savor it, and even sometimes stretch it by adding some ice to it.
Larissa Korde, M.D., M.P.H.: Studies have looked at alcohol and breast cancer and the risk of developing breast cancer; those studies seem to show that there's a dose response to that, meaning the more you drink the higher the risk. But I don't think anything has addressed the question of drinking during the holiday period rather than looking at your average in general. So I don't think we can use the data out there to look at drinking differing during one period or another.
Diana Dyer, M.S., R.D.: Recent data has shown that alcohol intake also can impact breast cancer survivorship with the same dose-response relationship, so the more you are drinking, the higher your risk of recurrence.

On Tuesday, October 13, 2009, our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Nutrition Through the Holidays. Diana Dyer, M.S., R.D. and Larissa Korde, M.D., M.P.H. answered your questions about what and how much to eat when holiday treats abound.

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

Larissa Korde, M.D., M.P.H. is an assistant professor in the Division of Medical Oncology at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance of the University of Washington. She specializes in the care of breast cancer patients.

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