Osteoarthritis Osteoporosis Otitis Otorhino. By Elda Hauschildt Increased serum hormone levels could be the mechanism that increases risk of breast cancer in post-menopausal women who consume one or more alcoholic drinks per day. Results suggest a possible mechanism by which consumption of one or more alcoholic drinks per day by post-menopausal women could increase their risk of breast cancer. They also measured levels of estradiol, estrone, testosterone, androstenedione, progesterone, DHEA and androstenediol. Investigators point out that alcohol use has been associated with increased breast cancer risk in epidemiological studies.
Results are heterogeneous at low consumption levels.
But no biological mechanism has been found for the association. They did a controlled feeding study to determine whether drinking alcohol elevates serum levels of hormones associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. Participants were 51 healthy, post-menopausal women. None of the women were taking hormone replacement therapy. All food and beverages were supplied by the study.