Introduction
The overall effects of alcohol consumption on breast cancer risk have been fairly well established. Most studies, including both case-control and cohort studies, have found that consuming two or more drinks per day is associated with an approximately 30% increase in risk (1 – 6). Recent alcohol consumption has also been associ-ated with increased mammographic density but not benign breast disease, both important breast cancer risk factors (1); benign breast disease, however, has been associated with drinking at an early age (7). While most studies show little difference in risk based on beverage type, some do suggest that wine and liquor but not beer are associated with risk (8). Other aspects of drinking, including age at consumption and drinking patterns, as well as potentially modifying host factors, have been only minimally investigated (1, 2, 8, 9).