Drinking More Than a Pint of Beer a Day Can Substantially Increase the Risk of Some Cancers

Shear English - Drinking more than a pint of beer a day can substantially increase the risk of some cancers, research shows. A large Europe-wide study in the British Medical Journal found that one-in-10 of all cancers in men and one-in-33 of all cancers in women are caused by past or current alcohol intake. For alcohol-related cancers, one-in-three in men and one-in-20 in women are caused by any excessive drinking.

Cancer charities say people should limit their drinking to lower the risk. The study calculated that in 2008, current and past drinking habits were responsible for about 13,000 cases of alcohol-related cancer in the UK, out of a total of 304,000 cancer cases. Previous research has shown a link between alcohol consumption and cancers of the oesophagus, liver, bowel and female breast. When alcohol is broken down by the body it produces a chemical which can damage DNA, increasing the chance of developing cancer.

Glass too far - This research found that individuals who drank more than two standard drinks a day for men and one drink a day for women were particularly at risk of alcohol-related cancers. A standard drink contains about 12g of alcohol, which is equivalent to a 125ml glass of wine or a half pint of beer.

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Gene clue to how cancer spreads (NKX2-1)

Shear English - A genetic change that makes lung cancer more likely to spread around the body has been pinpointed by US scientists. The research, published in the journal Nature, could ultimately lead to new medicines to fight secondary tumours. The discovery was made in mice but has been confirmed in human tumour samples.

A UK cancer charity said understanding why some lung cancers are more likely to spread is vital for developing better treatments. The researchers found the genetic change while studying mice that are genetically programmed to develop lung tumours. They found reduced activity of the gene - NKX2-1 - in samples from human lung tumours, and found this was associated with higher death rates.

Lead author of the paper, Monte Winslow, of the David H Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, said understanding the role of the gene may help scientists develop new drugs. "The sad reality is that if you could tell a patient whether their cancer has turned down this gene, you would know they will have a worse outcome, but it wouldn't change their treatment," he said.

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Fasting for 24 Hours 'May Cut Risk of Heart Disease'

Shear English - Regularly going a day without food may reduce your risk of heart disease and diabetes, research has suggested. Doctors studied the health and habits of more than 200 residents in the state of Utah, where fasting for at least one day a month is a way of life for many Mormons. X-ray scans revealed narrowing of the arteries in around 75 per cent of those who didn’t fast. In contrast, clogged arteries affected 63 per cent of those who said they often skipped meals.

Fasting also appeared to more than halve the odds of diabetes, the American College of Cardiology’s conference heard. To ensure the results were not only due to those who fast having healthier lifestyles, the researchers carried out a second study on people who were not regular fasters. They did not eat or drink anything other than water for 24 hours and underwent a series of health checks. They were also monitored while eating normally. 'I do it once a week between elevenses and lunch.' The tests revealed fasting triggers a significant surge in human growth hormone, a hormone credited with speeding up metabolism and burning off fat.

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