Binge drinking

Men who binge drink increase their risk of getting prostate cancer, while men who regularly drink moderate or even heavy amounts of alcohol don't expose themselves to the same danger, according to new research. Several previous studies have noted that an increased risk of prostate cancer among men who consume a lot of alcohol or who have been long-time drinkers, but none examined drinking patterns.

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Researchers evaluated the association between drinking habits and the risk of prostate cancer among nearly 48,000 men over a 12-year period. Men who regularly drank large quantities of alcohol and men who were former drinkers were at no greater risk for prostate cancer than nondrinkers or men who drank less than one day a week. But for men who went on drinking binges—consuming the equivalent of at least eight cans of beer in just a day or two—increased their risk by 64 percent over nondrinkers. The association between alcohol intake and prostate cancer was strongest among men with Type II diabetes.

Overall, the authors concluded, alcohol doesn't appear to contribute to prostate cancer risk, except for men who infrequently drink large amounts. The results warrant further evaluation.