of drinking (or binge drinking) decades earlier in life. In contrast, the mechanistic basis for the cardiovascular benefits of alcohol are well documented, including relatively acute effects on lipid profile, platelets, and the atherogenic process (Zakhari, 1999). The need to consider alcohol-related breast cancer risk in the context of the overall effect of alcohol on women’s health risk was recognized many years ago (Longnecker et al., 1995a).
