Recent research has shown that more than 5% of cancer cases are associated with alcohol consumption, as reported in the 2024 Cancer Progress Report by the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). Alcohol ranks third among risk factors for cancer, following obesity and smoking cigarettes. Lead author of the report, Rajarshi Sengupta, PhD, stated that excessive alcohol consumption increases the risk of six types of cancer, such as head and neck, esophageal, 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%, according to the report.

Dr. Adam Scioli, an addiction psychiatrist, highlighted the changing perceptions of alcohol's impact on health, emphasizing that alcohol is a modifiable risk factor for cancer. Data from AACR reveal that 75,000 Americans are diagnosed with alcohol-related cancers annually, with the risk escalating based on the amount and frequency of alcohol consumed. The CDC defines moderate alcohol use as up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks for men, cautioning that even low levels of alcohol consumption can heighten the risk of certain cancers.

Despite the well-established link between smoking and cancer, public awareness regarding alcohol's contribution to cancer risk remains limited, with AACR reporting that 51% of Americans are unaware of this association. Scioli stressed the significance of raising public awareness and recommended reducing alcohol consumption to lower cancer risk."Sengupta mentioned the risks that come with drinking alcohol. To tackle this issue, he suggested launching public awareness campaigns and placing cancer-related cautionary labels on alcoholic drinks. Additionally, effective clinical approaches should be explored to support efforts in limiting alcohol intake," he emphasized. Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month: Identifying Risk Factors and Early Symptoms.