Recent research has found that alcohol consumption is associated with over 5% of all cancer cases, as stated in the 2024 Cancer Progress Report by the American Association for Cancer Research. Alcohol ranks third among cancer risk factors, after obesity and smoking. The lead author of the report, Dr. Rajarshi Sengupta, explained that excessive alcohol consumption can increase the risk of six types of cancer, including head and neck cancer, esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, as well as breast, colorectal, liver, and stomach cancers. Limiting or eliminating alcohol intake can reduce the risk of alcohol-related cancers by 8% and all cancers by 4%.
Dr. Adam Scioli, an addiction psychiatrist at Caron Treatment Centers, highlighted the changing understanding of alcohol's impact on health, dispelling the misconception that it may be beneficial. Data from the AACR shows that 75,000 Americans are diagnosed with alcohol-related cancers annually, with the risk escalating with higher alcohol consumption. Alcohol is considered a toxin, causing harm to various organs.
The CDC defines moderate alcohol use as one drink per day for women and two drinks for men. However, even low levels of alcohol consumption can heighten the risk of certain cancers. Despite widespread knowledge of the link between smoking and cancer, awareness of alcohol's role in cancer risk remains low. In fact, over half of Americans are unaware of this connection, according to the AACR.
Scioli stressed the need for increased public awareness and suggested that reducing alcohol consumption could help lower cancer risk. Efforts to educate the public about this risk factor are crucial."He stated that there are inherent risks in drinking," Sengupta recommended public awareness campaigns and cancer-specific warning labels on alcoholic drinks to tackle this issue. She also emphasized the importance of implementing effective clinical approaches to decrease alcohol intake. September is Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month: Understanding risk factors and early symptoms.
