Factors to consider in analyzing the data in an investigation

Institutional Affiliation

Student’s Name

Factors to consider in analyzing the data in an investigation  

                                           Alcohol and breast cancer

The National Cancer Institute of United States has found some relationship between breast cancer and alcohol consumption. There has been evidence from scientific researches that enough intake of vitamin B-9 can do away with the risk of cancer of the breast that has been linked with alcohol consumption. For example a according to Breast Journal (2009) study that was conducted in Australia on 17,000 women aged between 40 and 69 and within a ten year period confirmed this fact.

From this research it was found that  women who could drink alcohol amounting to 40 grams every day  which is estimated to be at least three drinks and then take 200 micrograms vitamin B9 daily could have a lower risk of contracting breast cancer that their counterparts who did not take any alcohol.  Vitamin B9 could be obtained from food that is rich in folate for example citrus juice, dried beans, citrus fruit, and also from peas. This indicated that moderate alcohol consumption lowered the risk of breast cancer in women.

The risk of breast cancer in relation to alcohol consumption is relatively low. For example, according to the Breast Journal (2009) an ordinary woman of 50 years may have a predisposition to cancer risk of about 3%. If the national health risk is approximated to rise by 30%, her personal risk still remain at 30%. This is very low compared to the risk of cardiovascular heart cancer posed by alcohol consumption. The risk of death of women occurring from cardiovascular heart disease is higher; it is about ten times greater than that of women dying from breast cancer.

According to the Breast Journal (2009) it is approximated that about 5% of women in the United States die of breast cancer. Drinking moderately results in improved health and eventually longer life spans.  If unchecked too much drinking of alcohol can predispose women to cardio vascular disease of the heart. It is estimated that about 50% of women who die in the United States die from cardiovascular heart disease.

It is therefore imperative that women should always consult their doctors whenever they intend to engage in drinking alcohol in order to reduce the risk of breast cancer. According to the Breast Journal (2009) individual women should get help from qualified medical doctors in weighing the posed risk of cardiovascular disease against that of breast cancer by alcohol consumption. This enables them to determine whether they should reduce their alcohol consumption rate.

According to the directions from the National Institute on Alcohol and Alcoholism (NIAAA) women should not drink more than three drinks daily and not more than seven drinks every week. Standard drinks should have equivalent alcohol amount. For example thee drinks of alcohol that are recommended should contain 12 ounce. This is the regular beer.

Women should avoid too much smoking which is more likely to increase their risk of breast cancer. It is also recommended that women should take care of their health. They should ensure that they are not overweight since being overweight predisposes them to heart illnesses. Women should also exercise regularly. This will also ensure that their weight and the functioning of their heart are healthy. There is no clear evidence that alcohol in its any form be it beer, liquor or even distilled alcohol really predisposes women to breast cancer.

Reference

Bissonauth, Vishnee, et al. (2009). Risk of breast cancer among French-Canadian women, noncarriers of more frequent BRCA1/2 mutations and consumption of total energy, coffee, and alcohol. Breast Journal 15( Supp.1), S63-S71.