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Seattle – Women who were once told to drink a glass of red wine a day to keep their heart healthy are now being told that same glass of wine can put them at risk for cancer. And it’s not just the wine, but any alcoholic beverage they consume may increase their risk of cancer.

In a new study released by researchers from the University of Oxford in Great Britain of 1.28 million women over the age of 50 it was found that consuming any amount of alcohol could raise their risk of developing cancer. Of the women studied, 68,775 developed cancer over a seven year period. Researchers believe that alcohol accounts for 13% of breast, liver, rectum and digestive tract cancer in women.

The study also found that low to moderate consumption of alcohol can attribute to 5% of all cancers found in women each year in the United States. Breast cancer tops the list with 11% of cases attributed to drinking alcohol.

Researchers believe alcohol consumption increases estrogen levels which are a major factor in developing breast cancer. Alcohol is also a known carcinogen, a substance that helps accelerate cancer in cells. Their study found that there is no safe alcohol consumption level for women, especially those who are already at risk of developing cancer.