Recent research has shown the alarming relationship between alcohol use and 7 different cancers. As a result, researchers and health advocates are demanding more caution, and even urging some retooling of health advisories. In short, the Surgeon General’s Advisory on Alcohol and Cancer Risk calls for immediate, comprehensive public education. Alcohol use is linked to an increased risk of at least seven different cancers.
In the body, the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase metabolizes alcohol into acetaldehyde. This chemical is already an established likely carcinogen, which adds to the concern about its potential to cause cancer. Even with this evidence, less than half of Americans identify the connection between drinking alcohol and getting cancer. Our 2019 Cancer Risk Awareness Survey showed that 89% of respondents were aware that tobacco increases your risk for cancer. Yet only three in five of them knew that alcohol could cause health problems.
The new Surgeon General’s advisory signals that drinking alcohol significantly increases your risk of getting esophagus cancer. In reality, the risk increases by 1.3 times compared to non-drinkers (3). Moreover, the risk of developing this condition jumps almost five times by heavy drinking, which is defined as more than four drinks per day.
In 2019, nearly 54,000 women in the US were newly diagnosed with an alcohol-related cancer. Around 42,000 men received these same grim diagnoses because of their excessive alcohol consumption. In fact, according to the World Health Organization, alcohol use contributed to about 741,000 new cancer cases globally in 2020. That figure accounts for nearly 4% of all new cancer cases that year. The majority of these casualties were due to accidental irradiation of the esophagus, liver and breast.
For women, even low levels of drinking increase the risk of developing breast cancer. In fact, heavier alcohol consumption doubles a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer. In reality, heavy drinkers are nearly 1.6 times more likely to be diagnosed with the disease than individuals who never drink.
For those who smoke, the relationship between alcohol and cancer is even more complex. Science has proven that alcohol consumption increases cancer risk in the oral cavity, pharynx, and larynx. This is particularly the case for people who smoke.
Give the Surgeon General direction to update health warning labels on alcoholic beverages. These changes would mean better and more timely information about cancer risk, a key concern. This new standard would greatly increase public awareness and maybe even encourage Americans to drink less alcohol.
Jo Freudenheim, a cancer epidemiologist at the University at Buffalo in New York, emphasized the importance of awareness regarding alcohol consumption and its risks:
“Any alcohol consumption increases cancer risk to some extent. I think it’s important for people to know what their risks are.”
Elisa Bandera, a cancer epidemiologist at the Rutgers Cancer Institute in New Brunswick, N.J., pointed out another concern related to alcohol consumption reporting:
“Because alcohol may be perceived as an unhealthy behavior by some, there is potential for underreporting the actual amount consumed, leading to potential inaccuracies in the data.”
As research continues to evolve in this area, experts urge further studies to better understand how alcohol contributes to cancer’s development. The importance of public education on these risks cannot be overstated.
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