The Connection Between Alcohol Use and Breast Cancer

When considering alcohol use disorder and breast cancer, alcohol use can lead to several long-term effects and health risks, including an increased risk of breast cancer.1 Keep reading to learn more about the link between alcohol and breast cancer and how to find support at our addiction treatment center in Kansas City if you’re struggling to quit.

Is There a Link Between Alcohol and Breast Cancer?

Yes, research shows that there’s a strong connection between alcohol and breast cancer, as well as other types of cancer. Just after tobacco and obesity, alcohol use is the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the U.S. Still, less than half of U.S. adults are aware of this relationship. Alcohol contributes to almost 100,000 cancer cases and nearly 20,000 cancer deaths each year.1

Regarding alcohol addiction and breast cancer, breast cancer is the largest burden of alcohol-related cancer for women in the U.S. In 2019, an estimated 44,180 alcohol-related cases represented 16.4% of the nearly 270,000 total breast cancer cases for women. Breast cancer risks are present even when you use alcohol at lower levels, including consuming two drinks or fewer daily.1

How Does Alcohol Use Increase Breast Cancer Risk?

Extensive research explains the association between alcohol and breast cancer. Alcohol is a carcinogen, meaning it can cause cancer by damaging DNA or causing cells to divide uncontrollably. Ethanol, the pure alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, causes cancer in at least four apparent ways1:

• It increases hormone levels, such as estrogen.
• It causes chronic inflammation by generating reactive oxygen species.
• It breaks down into acetaldehyde, which can bind to DNA and damage it.
• Carcinogens from other sources, particularly tobacco smoke particles, can dissolve in alcohol. This makes it easier for them to be absorbed into the body.

Increased Estrogen Levels

Alcohol can increase estrogen levels, which play a role in the development of breast cancer.2 Alcohol can affect estrogen metabolism and signaling, which may contribute to changes in estrogen levels.3

Normal breast cells and some breast cancer cells have receptors that bind to estrogen and progesterone. These hormones can help cells grow, and breast cancers are classified as hormone receptor-positive or hormone receptor-negative based on whether they have these receptors.⁴

DNA Damage and Cell Mutation

Another factor in alcohol and breast cancer risk is DNA damage. Alcohol breaks down into acetaldehyde in the body. This metabolite causes cancer by binding to and damaging DNA, as well as preventing the body from repairing it.1

DNA controls how a cell grows and performs.2 When DNA is damaged, cells can start to grow uncontrollably and develop into a cancerous tumor.1,2

Nutrient Absorption Interference

Folate is crucial to DNA health. This vital nutrient plays a role in DNA synthesis and modification, essential for maintaining integrity and gene control. Alcohol consumption disrupts nutrient metabolism, including your body’s use of folate.5

Folate deficiency may interfere with DNA methylation, genomic integrity, and DNA repair, potentially altering the expression of tumor-suppressor genes and cancer-promoting genes.5

Oxidative Stress and Inflammation

Alcohol and breast cancer risks are also associated with oxidative stress and chronic inflammation. Alcohol generates reactive oxygen species. These highly reactive, unstable molecules create oxidative stress and trigger inflammation.1,6

Oxidative stress can damage DNA, proteins, and lipids in the body.1 Chronic, uncontrolled inflammation is also harmful to cells, tissues, and vital organs.6 Over time, chronic inflammation and oxidative stress can contribute to cellular damage and processes involved in cancer development.6

How Much Alcohol Increases Breast Cancer Risk?

Even light drinking can increase your risk of developing cancer, including breast cancer. Alcohol and breast cancer statistics show that women who consume less than one drink per week have an estimated 11.3% absolute lifetime risk of developing breast cancer. This risk increases to 13.1% for those who have one drink daily and about 15.3% for those who consume an average of two drinks daily.¹1

Is Any Amount of Alcohol Safe?

No level of alcohol consumption is considered safe for your health.7 Because breast cancer risk increases with greater alcohol consumption, drinking less can reduce alcohol exposure associated with breast cancer risk.1,8 A combined analysis of more than one million women in 20 cohorts found that the relative risk of breast cancer increased by 10% for women who had up to one drink daily when compared to those who didn’t drink.1

While alcohol use and breast cancer risks remain, drinking less or in moderation, compared to excessively, may lower them.1,8 Still, moderate drinking can increase your risk of alcohol-related harms, like breast cancer, compared to not drinking.8,9

Who Is Most at Risk for Developing Breast Cancer?

While breast cancer and alcohol consumption risks are present for any woman who consumes alcohol, some are more at risk than others.8 Here are some additional risk factors to consider:

• A family history of breast cancer: Those who have a mother, sister, or daughter, or several family members on either parent’s side who have had breast cancer have an inherited, higher likelihood, or genetic predisposition to breast cancer.8
• Reproductive history: Getting your period before age 12 or going through menopause after age 55 means longer lifetime exposure to hormones, which can raise your risk of breast cancer.8
• Postmenopausal women: The risk for breast cancer increases with age, with most diagnoses being made after age 50.8
• A personal history with breast cancer: Women who’ve had breast cancer before are more likely to get it again.8
• Obesity: Older women who are overweight or obese have a higher risk of getting breast cancer.8
• Taking hormones: Hormone replacement therapy and oral contraceptives have been linked to higher breast cancer risk, particularly during menopause.8
• Smoking: Smoking, especially long-term, has been connected to a higher risk of developing breast cancer.10

Can Reducing Alcohol Lower Your Risk?

Drinking less can improve your overall health and reduce alcohol-related health risks.11 Here are some tips for cutting down on alcohol consumption11:

• Understand how much you currently drink and whether it’s considered excessive
• Set limits (i.e., schedule weekly alcohol-free days)
• Count your drinks
• Learn to manage triggers
• Remember your “why”
• Make a written plan to help you drink less, including motivation, goals, and how to work through barriers

Quitting alcohol may seem more challenging as drinking is ingrained in U.S. society in many ways. Still, cutting back or stopping alcohol use is possible. Seeking professional help at an addiction treatment center, like Empowered Recovery Kansas City, can open the door to ongoing support and guidance.

Alcohol Recovery and Treatment in Kansas City

If you or a loved one is struggling with alcohol use disorder, help is available at Empowered Recovery Kansas City. Our exceptional treatment facility offers various levels of addiction treatment, including partial hospitalization programs (PHPs), intensive outpatient programs (IOPs), and standard outpatient care.

We can work with you to choose the best type of program for your unique needs. If you have questions about going to rehab, our admissions team is here to offer guidance and support. We’ll help you understand your options for paying for rehab in Kansas City, including using insurance to pay for rehab.

Starting the road to recovery can foster lasting healing and a happier, healthier life. Contact Empowered Recovery Kansas City to check your insurance coverage and find suitable care for your situation.

References

1. U.S. Surgeon General. (2025). Alcohol and Cancer Risk: The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory. Retrieved on April 17, 2026, from https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/oash-alcohol-cancer-risk.pdf
2. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2026). Alcohol and Cancer. Retrieved on April 17, 2026, from https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/risk-factors/alcohol.html
3. Baweja, S., Mittal, A., Thangariyal, S., et al. (2023). Unveiling the effect of estrogen receptors in alcoholic liver disease: A novel outlook. Retrieved on April 17, 2026, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2542568423000612.
4. American Cancer Society, Inc. (2021). Breast Cancer Hormone Receptor Status. Retrieved on April 17, 2026, from https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/breast-cancer/understanding-a-breast-cancer-diagnosis/breast-cancer-hormone-receptor-status
5. Chen, P., Li, C., Li, X., et al. (2014). Higher dietary folate intake reduces the breast cancer risk: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Retrieved on April 17, 2026, from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4007237/
6. Tharmalingam, J., Gangadaran, P., Rajendran, R., & Ahn, B. (2024). Impact of Alcohol on Inflammation, Immunity, Infections, and Extracellular Vesicles in Pathogenesis. Retrieved on April 17, 2026, from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11043057/
7. World Health Organization. (2023). No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health. Retrieved on April 17, 2026, from https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/04-01-2023-no-level-of-alcohol-consumption-is-safe-for-our-health
8. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2026). Breast Cancer Risk Factors. Retrieved on April 17, 2026, from https://www.cdc.gov/breast-cancer/risk-factors/
9. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2025). About Moderate Alcohol Use. Retrieved on April 17, 2026, from https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/about-alcohol-use/moderate-alcohol-use.html
10. Peñalver-Argüeso, B., García-Esquinas, E., Castelló, A., et al. (2023). Smoking history and breast cancer risk by pathological subtype: MCC-Spain study. Retrieved on April 17, 2026, from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10688255/
11. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Getting Started With Drinking Less. Retrieved on April 17, 2026, from https://www.cdc.gov/drink-less-be-your-best/getting-started-with-drinking-less/index.html