Drinking 'fuels growth of tumour'

A study from the University of Mississippi has shown that drinking even just two alcoholic drinks a day fuels the growth of breast cancer. Currently, breast cancer patients are told to moderate their alcohol consumption. In the study, mice were injected with breast cancer cells. The mice that were given the equivalent of two alcoholic drinks a day developed tumors twice the size of the control mice. They found that alcohol consumption increases the expression of the protein VEGF. This protein helps tumors grow by spurring blood vessel development. It has been known for a long time that alcohol can lead to the development of breast cancer. This research show what happens once the cancer is there.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6611009.stm