How much should we rely on cancer studies?

It seems as though there is a new cancer study every week.  "Don't eat this", "eat only these things", "breathing certain chemicals can cause cancer", etc.   So, how do we know when to follow the study and when to take the information with a grain of salt? 

In my experience, it depends on who sponsors the study and who administers the study.  A "pro red meat" study sponsored by butchers and cattle farmers isn't going to hold as much weight for me.  Similarly, I'm taking a new study from Boston University with a few grains of salt. 

A new study published online in the American Journal of Public Health shows that even low levels of alcohol consumption can be a risk factor for cancer.  "The researchers also found that each alcohol-related cancer death accounted for an average of 18 years of potential life lost. In addition, although higher levels of alcohol consumption led to a higher cancer risk, average consumption of 1.5 drinks per day or less accounted for 30 percent of all alcohol-attributable cancer deaths." (Source)  The study was completed in conjunction with researchers in the US, Canada, and France. 

The reason I'm taking this study with a bit of salt, though, is because of this:  "Naimi and colleagues from the National Cancer Institute, the Alcohol Research Group, Public Health Institute and the Toronto-based Centre for Addiction and Mental Health examined recent data on alcohol consumption and cancer mortality" (Source)  While I believe there could be a connection between regular drinking and cancer risk, I have a bit of an issue with 2 alcohol/addiction groups examining the data.  It's very easy to manipulate data to back up your theory. 

To me, a glass of wine or a bottle of beer a few times a week is fine.  A bottle of wine or a 6-pack of beer regularly?  That's something you may want to scale back.  Moderation, as always, is key.  And, as Naimi even says, the stats sound scary, but the risks for mild to moderate drinkers are very low. "The people who drink small amounts of alcohol needn't be duly concerned about this," he said. "But it is important to recognize that when it comes to cancer, there's no free lunch."(Source)

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