Alcohol during pregnancy linked to breast cancer.

Latest research has warned that women who consume alcohol during their pregnancy are putting their daughters at risk of developing breast cancer.

This US study has shown that although previous research has identified a strong link between alcohol consumption an increased breast cancer, there is also the risk of the child developing cancer.

Alcohol increased circulating oestrogen levels in the uterus which in turn made breast cells in the fetus vulnerable to events later in life that lead to malignancy, according to the researchers.

Tests on pregnant rats with moderate and high amounts of alcohol showed oestrogen levels were increased but there were no adverse effects on normal fetal development. When the rats reached adulthood, the female offspring were given a carcinogen to initiate mammary cancer.

Results of this test showed that the female offspring of rats given alcohol developed breast tumours at a significantly higher rate compared to the controls, they had higher breast density and more oestrogen receptors which are both linked to higher breast cancer risk in humans.

(Source: The Cancer Council Australia and Australian Doctor)