Home > Media Relations > Mercy News Archive

Media Relations: Mercy News Archive

Mercy medical oncologist Dr. David Riseberg (left) counsels a patient at the Weinberg Center for Women's Health and Medicine at Mercy

Mercy Medical Oncologist Dr. David Riseberg Addresses Recent Research Linking Alcohol Consumption To Certain Cancers

You've probably heard that moderate amounts of alcohol can be healthy for your heart, but doctors are more and more convinced it's not so good for your risk of breast cancer.

Susan Oppenheimer is a regular visitor to the Chemo Center at Mercy Medical Center. She was first diagnosed with breast cancer nine years ago and then had a recurrence.

"This time last year, I was diagnosed and again had surgery, chemo and radiation," she said.

She said since then, she's mostly given up alcohol.

"I changed my behavior. I was a person who liked a glass of wine with dinner, but no more," she said.

Mercy medical oncologist Dr. David Riseberg of the Institute for Cancer Care at Mercy noted that there are several cancers associated with alcohol intake, including breast cancer.

"That's been known for a while, but additional reporting shows that even relatively small amounts of alcohol do have some increased risk of breast cancer," he said.

Dr. Riseberg currently counsels his patients to have no more than a glass or two a week at the most.

"Even a drink a day may be good for your heart, but may be not so good from a breast cancer standpoint," he said.

Susan said she currently has a drink only on a very special occasion, and while she's still on Herceptin to prevent a recurrence, her reports are great.

"I am doing well, and I'm happy. Good science, good doctors," she said.

According to Dr. Riseberg, from a lifestyle perspective, you have to weigh your own risk factors to make the best decisions about your health.

For more information and to see Dr. Riseberg's interview on this topic on WBAL-TV11's "Woman's Doctor," click this link: http://www.wbaltv.com/womansdoctor/21631701/detail.html