Most people are well aware of the increased risk of cancer caused by tobacco, but relatively few people are aware of the increased risk of cancer associated with alcohol use. On Friday, the U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released a new advisory focused on alcohol and cancer risk. I thought this would be a good time to talk about this important subject.
What evidence do we have?
There is consensus among the medical and scientific community that drinking alcohol can increase the risk of several types of cancer. This is based on strong scientific evidence from a large number of research studies over many years, including some newer studies, which show that alcohol is a major cancer risk factor. In fact, the National Toxicology Program of the US Department of Health and Human Services lists consumption of alcoholic beverages as a known human carcinogen.The evidence shows that the more alcohol a person drinks, the higher their risk of developing certain types of cancer becomes. This is especially true for those drinking more alcohol regularly over time. Even people who drink no more than one alcoholic drink per day have a modest increase in the risk of some types of cancer. Those who drink 3 or more alcoholic drinks per day have a significantly higher risk.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), alcohol consumption is the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the US, with tobacco being the first.
Which cancers are associated with alcohol?
Clear association has been shown between alcohol consumption and the development of the following types of cancer:
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Head and neck – This includes cancer of the mouth, throat, and larynx (voice box). Moderate to heavy alcohol use is associated with up to a 5 times greater risk of developing one of these cancers. It is important to note that those who consume both alcohol and tobacco have a substantially higher risk of developing these cancers.
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Esophagus – Alcohol consumption at any level is associated with a higher risk of a type of esophageal cancer called esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. The risks, compared to no alcohol consumption, range from 1.3 times higher for light drinking to nearly 5 times higher for heavy drinking.
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Liver – Heavy alcohol consumption is associated with about a 2 times higher risk for 2 different types of liver cancer.
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Breast – Data from about 120 individual studies pooled together indicates that light drinkers have a slightly increased risk of breast cancer compared with nondrinkers. The risk increases further in moderate drinkers and is even higher in heavy drinkers.
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Colorectal – Moderate to heavy drinkers have a higher risk of developing cancers of the colon and rectum
Although currently the evidence is not totally clear, evidence is accumulating to indicate that alcohol consumption is likely associated with increased risks of melanoma, prostate, and pancreatic cancers.
Next week, we will talk more about the mechanisms by which alcohol might increase your risk of cancer.
If you would like to read the Surgeon General’s Advisory regarding alcohol and cancer, use this link: Alcohol and Cancer Risk | HHS.gov
If you have any questions about cancer caused by alcohol, please log into your account and send us your question. We are here to help.
Dr. Anita Bennett MD – Health Tip Content Editor