By  David Liu, PHD and editing by Aimee Keenan-Greene

Sunday Feb 19, 2012 (foodconsumer.org) -- A recent study  in the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) suggests  drinking alcohol in moderation may increase the risk for developing breast cancer.

The study led by Wendy Y. Chen of Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts found 3 to 6 drinks per week was associated with a 15 percent increase in the risk for developing breast cancer.

Alcoholic beverages have been officially recognized as human carcinogens and can increase the risk of a variety of cancers.

The study involved 105,986 women enrolled in the Nurses' Health Study conducted between 1980 and 2008.  Participants were surveyed 9 times for their alcohol consumption. During 2.4 million person-years of follow-up, 7690 cases of invasive breast cancer were identified.

The researchers found drinking 5.0 to 9.9 grams of alcohol per day or 3 to 6 drinks per week was correlated with 15 percent increased risk of breast cancer.

Binge drinking, but not drinking frequency, was found correlated with breast cancer risk after adjustment for cumulative alcohol intake.

Additionally, alcohol consumption both earlier and later in adult life was independently associated with risk of developing breast cancer.

The researchers concluded "Low levels of alcohol consumption were associated with a small increase in breast cancer risk, with the most consistent measure being cumulative alcohol intake throughout adult life. Alcohol intake both earlier and later in adult life was independently associated with risk."

Although alcohol is well known to be associated with elevated risk of breast cancer, some studies linked alcoholic beverages with reduced risk of heart disease.  Critics pointed out though that such studies are full of biases and design problems.  For instance, in some studies, study participants who quit drinking due to health problems were counted as non-drinkers.

Breast cancer is diagnosed in about 200,000 women in the United States each year. The disease kills about 50,000 women annually in the country, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Breast cancer is largely a preventable disease.  Many lifestyle parameters can be modified to reduce risk.