Alcohol and breast cancer

Evidence tells us drinking alcohol increases a person’s risk of developing breast cancer.^2,3,4

Not everyone who drinks alcohol will get breast cancer, but the risk starts to increase even at low levels of drinking.⁵ So, the less you drink, the more you reduce your risk. Around one in 13 cases of breast cancer in women in the UK are estimated to be caused by alcohol.^6,7

This guide explains the symptoms to look out for, why alcohol and other factors contribute to causing breast cancer, and what you can do to reduce your risk. 

Breast cancer symptoms

Cancer Research UK advises that you should see a doctor if you have noticed any of the following:⁸

• A change in the size, shape or feel of your breast
• A new lump or thickening in your breast or armpit
• Skin changes in the breast such as puckering, dimpling, a rash or redness of the skin
• Fluid leaking from a nipple in a woman who isn’t pregnant or breastfeeding
• Changes in the position of a nipple

Most often these symptoms are caused by other medical conditions, and they don’t necessarily mean you have breast cancer. But if you experience any of them, it’s important to get them checked by a doctor or another qualified member of your GP's team.

Visit Cancer Research UK to find out more about early breast cancer symptoms.

Understanding breast cancer risks from alcohol

Breast cancer is the most diagnosed cancer in the world and is the most common cancer among women.⁹

Drinking alcohol doesn’t automatically mean you will get breast cancer, and not drinking cannot guarantee you won't. But there is evidence that shows your risk of developing alcohol-related cancers increases significantly if you drink more than an average of one alcoholic drink (or one alcoholic unit) a day. That’s equivalent to about one small (125ml) glass of wine.^10,11,12

For breast cancer in particular, there is no completely safe level of drinking alcohol - the risk of breast cancer among women who drink alcohol at all is higher than among those who never drink.¹³

Research has also found that the more you drink over a lifetime, the higher your risk of developing breast cancer becomes.¹⁴ And alcohol doesn’t only contribute to breast cancer – it’s also linked to at least six other types of cancer in women and men.¹⁵

Alcohol contributes to the risk of developing breast cancer as well as other factors which we have no control over like age or family history. But alcohol - along with smoking¹⁶ and body weight¹⁷ - is one of the causes that you can control.

How does alcohol increase your risk of developing breast cancer?

The ways in which alcohol increases the risk of developing breast cancer are not fully understood but probably include:

• The body breaks down alcohol into a substance called acetaldehyde which can cause changes in our DNA. This can trigger a response in the body which leads to cancerous cells developing.^18,19
• Alcohol increases levels of the female hormone oestrogen – high levels of oestrogen can cause vulnerable cells continually to excessively multiply and become cancerous.²⁰

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK and about 1 in 13 (8%) cases are estimated to be attributable to alcohol.²¹ Our 2023 Drinkaware Monitor found nearly 50% of people knew the link between alcohol and cancer but just 20% of those knew the connection between alcohol and breast cancer.²²

How can I reduce my risk?

Cancer Research UK estimates that almost a quarter (23%) of cases of breast cancer are preventable.²³ Making healthy lifestyle choices such as not drinking more than a few units a week or not drinking at all, not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight and getting physical exercise, can all help to reduce the risk of breast cancer.

Drinking alcohol increases your risk of breast cancer.²⁴ If you choose to drink alcohol, it’s best to drink within the UK Chief Medical Officers’ (CMOs’) low risk drinking guidelines and to spread your drinking throughout the week, incorporating several drink-free days every week.

Breast screening

All women in the UK who are aged 50-70 and are registered with a GP are automatically invited for breast screening every three years. Breast screening is a type of X-ray test called a mammogram which can detect cancers when they are too small to see or feel. After 70, women can choose to continue three-yearly breast screening. 

For more information about breast screening in the UK, follow the links below.

• If you live in England
• If you live in Scotland
• If you live in Wales
• If you live Northern Ireland

Male breast cancer

Breast cancer is rare in men and more research is needed to understand how alcohol may contribute to the increased risk of developing it.^25,26

However, advice for men who choose to drink is the same as for women. If you choose to drink alcohol, it’s advisable to drink within the UK Chief Medical Officers’ (CMOs’) low risk drinking guidelines and to spread your drinking throughout the week, incorporating several drink-free days every week.