Website design By BotEap.comExcessive alcohol consumption can lead to more than just alcoholism, according to recent studies. A report appearing online, to be published later in a print version of The International Journal of Cancer, revealed that women who drink an average of more than two alcoholic drinks a day double their chances of being diagnosed with endometrial cancer, compared to those who drink. less. However, benefits have been seen in other studies for moderate drinkers.

Website design By BotEap.comThe study was conducted in a multiethnic group of 41,574 postmenopausal women, following each subject for an average of eight years. In that time, 324 people were diagnosed with endometrial cancer, or cancer of the lining of the uterus, and their eating and drinking habits were evaluated based on questionnaires. After controlling for variables such as body mass index (BMI), age, hormone therapy, and pregnancy history, the researchers found that those who drank more than two alcoholic beverages a day, be it beer, wine, or hard liquor, had twice as likely to get endometrial cancer as those who drank two or less.

Website design By BotEap.comFor Texas women, this could be vitally important. Texas is not exactly known for its lack of alcohol consumption, and each year thousands of women in the state are diagnosed with gynecological cancers. While breast cancer outnumbers endometrial cancer in the annual count of people diagnosed in Texas (the breast is the third most important cancer diagnosis, behind the lung and colon / rectum), it also has a better chance of being cured without major surgery. And yet a quarter of the state lives without health insurance, a circumstance that generally leads to less access to health care, according to recent studies by the Commonwealth Fund. Despite having some of the best medical facilities in the country located in Dallas, Houston and Austin, many uninsured women do not have open access to them.

Website design By BotEap.comNo one is sure why binge drinking increases risk so much. The theory is that alcohol increases estrogen levels, which, in turn, increases DNA replication errors and mutations, precursors to cancer, for long periods of time.

Website design By BotEap.com“Relatively few studies have examined the relationship between endometrial cancer and drinking … If this is a true association, it is one more lifestyle change that women can make,” said Veronica Wendy Setiawan, lead researcher at the study and research assistant professor at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California.

Website design By BotEap.comAccording to the National Cancer Institute, 40,000 women suffer from endometrial cancer in this country each year and more than 7,000 will die. At this time, there is no known cure for the disease, although it is considered highly treatable if caught early; Usually the solution is to remove the uterus and hope that the cancer has not metastasized (that is, has spread to other parts of the body). Treatment may also include removal of the fallopian tubes and ovaries, performing a pelvic lymph node dissection and / or laparoscopic lymph node sampling, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and natural methods such as herbs and acupuncture.

Website design By BotEap.comOne might (logically) believe that any alcohol consumption would increase the likelihood of most diseases, but several studies claim that consuming two or less alcoholic drinks a day does not carry any additional risk of endometrial cancer and, in fact, may improve health and memory in general, as well as reducing the chances of contracting cardiovascular diseases. Dr. Graham McDougall, associate professor of nursing at the University of Texas at Austin and lead author of the study, “Cognitive and Affective Response of Older Women to Moderate Alcohol Consumption,” found that older women who drank moderately performed better. on cognitive tests, such as remembering a story, route or hidden object, future intentions, and connecting random numbers and letters. Other cognitive and psychological benefits were also seen.

Website design By BotEap.com“Moderate drinkers reported less depression, had better self-reported health, performed better on everyday instrumental tasks, had higher memory self-efficacy and better memory performance,” McDougall said. McDougall’s study, part of a larger University of Texas project funded by the National Institutes of Health, surprised many. He stated that moderate drinkers also scored higher on tests designed to measure attention, concentration, psychomotor skills, verbal association skills, and oral fluency. “In addition to their actual performance on tests,” McDougall said, “the confidence of those who drank was higher and they used more strategies to facilitate memory.”

Website design By BotEap.comHowever, Dr. McDougall was careful not to encourage alcohol consumption and reminded the public that physical and psychological problems were actually exacerbated by excessive alcohol consumption; that is, more than two drinks a day. That also appears to be true for endometrial cancer risk, with two drinks on the cusp of “risky.” In other words, non-addicts may be better, psychologically and physically, with a glass of wine in the evening, but one should not get too excited. Binge drinking is still binge drinking after all.

Website design By BotEap.comKeeping up with new research on risky lifestyle habits is an important part of staying healthy.