A beer a day increases cancer risk

Men regularly drinking a beer or a glass of liquor may be at increased risk of cancer, shows a study conducted by researchers from McGill University in Montreal. This increased risk is not, however, among wine drinkers.

The survey covered nearly 3,600 Canadian men aged 35 to 70 years. It concludes that those who drank an average of these drinks per day are more likely to develop certain cancers than men who drink occasionally or not at all.

These include cancers of the esophagus, stomach, colon, lung, pancreas, liver and prostate. In general, the probability of developing cancer increases proportionately consumption.

On cancer of the esophagus, for example, men who drank one to six times a week have a higher risk of 83% of men who never drink alcohol or less regular drinkers.

The risk is three times higher among daily users. In addition, for the latter, the risk generally increases with the number of years of consumption.

Many studies have suggested that the act of drinking moderately - no more than one or two drinks a day - could be a good habit to health, particularly in mitigating the risk of heart attack .

But the investigation McGill researchers suggests that even moderate consumption of beer or hard liquor can be harmful.

The question of whether to give up alcohol completely can not be resolved by a single study, however, stressed Andrea Benedetti, one of the authors of the survey. "To learn how to balance the risk (of cancer) with the risk of cardiovascular disease, it is best to talk with her ​​doctor," she said.