Here’s What Types of Cancer Are Linked to Alcohol and How Much Drinking Increases Your Risk
Most people have no idea that alcohol contributes to the development of cancer, but it has been common knowledge among doctors and cancer researchers for many years. Today, the Surgeon General released a report containing statistics and recommendations for reducing the risk of cancer from drinking alcohol. Here’s what you need to know.
Yes, it is widely believed that alcohol causes cancer.
It’s rare for scientists to come out and say that something “causes” cancer (rather than, say, “increases the risk”), but in the case of alcohol, you won’t find much coyness about it. Words such as “cause” and “causality” appear 49 times in the new report .
The International Agency for Research on Cancer, the same group that called aspartame “probably” carcinogenic (Group 2B) and red meat “probably” carcinogenic (Group 2A), has placed alcoholic beverages in Group 1 , a direct carcinogen, along with cigarettes. and ionizing radiation. They say: “The relationship between alcohol consumption and cancer risk has been known since the early 20th century.”
The National Cancer Institute’s fact sheet on alcohol states that “there is a strong scientific consensus that drinking alcohol can cause several types of cancer.” They note that byproducts of alcohol metabolism are themselves carcinogens, that alcohol increases oxidation, that alcohol can increase estrogen levels in the blood, which is linked to breast cancer, and that alcohol interferes with our ability to absorb vitamins and nutrients that protect against cancer.
The full picture of exactly how alcohol causes each type of cancer is not fully understood, but the connection is clear enough: The Surgeon General estimates that there are 100,000 cases of alcohol-related cancer each year in the United States, including 20,000 deaths. That’s more than the 13,500 alcohol-related crash deaths each year.
Seven types of cancer are linked to alcohol
There are seven types of cancer that are generally agreed to be linked to alcohol:
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Breast
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Colorectum
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esophagus
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Liver
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Mouth
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Throat
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Larynx (voice box)
In the case of breast cancer, it is estimated that more than 16% of breast cancer cases are caused by alcohol consumption. For all of these cancers, the risk increases with the amount of alcohol you drink regularly.
How much alcohol does it take to increase your risk of cancer?
There is no risk threshold, no specific number where you can say, “If I drink less, I’ll be fine.” However, this summary of evidence from the University of Florida highlights the following:
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Moderate alcohol consumption (usually defined as one drink a day or slightly more) increases the risk of esophageal cancer by 160% and breast cancer by 104%.
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Moderate alcohol consumption (usually about two drinks a day) increases the risk of oral cancer by 180%, throat cancer by 140%, colorectal cancer by 120% and breast cancer by 123%.
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Heavy alcohol consumption (usually defined as about 3.5 drinks per day) increases the risk of oral cancer by 500%, throat cancer by 260%, esophageal cancer by 500%, some liver cancers by 200%, colorectal cancer by 150% and breast cancer by 160%.
If you remember hearing that drinking lightly may be good for you, that doesn’t necessarily contradict these results. There are studies that have found a reduced risk of heart disease with moderate alcohol consumption, which is why it has been included in the Mediterranean diet . But remember that this diet was based on what people in some Mediterranean populations ate and drank, and was adopted as a package deal rather than made up of habits that we know for sure are healthy.
The advice from the Surgeon General and other public health organizations is that if you already drink, you may want to cut back. And if you don’t already drink, you probably shouldn’t start. If you think you’re drinking too much, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a tool to assess your drinking habits , and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has a helpline you can call more about treatment.