Girls With Breast Cancer in Family Might Want to Refrain from Drinking: Study

Refraining from alcohol might be a good choice for women whose mothers have had breast cancer.

A team of researchers found that among teen girls with breast cancer in the family, girls who drank were twice as likely to develop what is called benign breast disease, according to Reuters.

Benign breast disease isn't cancer, but the lumps could become cancerous later.

Researcher Catherin Berkey of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston said women with a family history of breast cancer "should be aware that drinking alcohol may increase their own risk for [benign breast disease] and for breast cancer later on."

Another independent expert said refraining from drinking is not likely to affect breast cancer risk.

"It is mostly an interesting observation, but it is going to have a very limited public health impact," Dr. Steven Narod, of the Familial Breast Cancer Research Unit at Women's College Hospital Research Institute in Toronto, told Reuters.

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