Metabolism of ethanol to acetaldehyde in the rat mammary tissue: Inhibitory effects of plant polyphenols and folic acid

Abstract

Alcohol consumption is causally related to an increased risk of cancer of the upper aero-digestive tract, liver, colorectum and female breast. Of particular concern is the case of breast cancer promotion by chronic alcohol consumption in women, since according to estimates of the World Health Organization, about 3% of total breast cancer worldwide was attributable to alcohol consumption in 1990. Further, combined analysis of data from 53 studies around the world showed a clear dose-response relationship between alcohol consumption and increased risk of breast cancer. The last study showed a 9% increase in risk per 10 g intake of alcohol per day). In fact, other recent epidemiological studies in a total of 1,280,296 middle-aged women in the UK reported that even drinking women consuming an average of only 10 g of alcohol (one drink) per day showed a 12% increased risk of breast cancer (4). In addition, a detailed prospective epidemiological cohort study in 254,870 women, made in eight European countries reported that 5% of the female breast cancer was attributable to alcohol consumption. This points to the need to further reduce or avoid drinking by women since alcohol intake is one of the few modifiable risk factors for breast cancer and also to the relevance of learning about biological and molecular mechanisms of the marked susceptibility of mammary tissue to alcohol consumption. Despite the significance of that need there is limited information regarding possible mechanisms for this effect and about the positive modulatory effects of dietary factors if alcohol drinking is not avoided.