Recent studies have shown that alcohol consumption is associated with over 5% of all cancer cases, as reported in the 2024 Cancer Progress Report by the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). Alcohol ranks third among cancer risk factors, behind obesity and cigarette smoking. Dr. Rajarshi Sengupta, the lead author of the report, stated that excessive alcohol intake can increase the risk of six types of cancer, including head and neck cancer, esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, liver cancer, and stomach cancer.

Reducing or eliminating alcohol consumption can lower the risk of alcohol-related cancers by 8% and the overall risk of cancer by 4%, according to the report. Dr. Adam Scioli, an addiction psychiatrist at Caron Treatment Centers, highlighted the changing perceptions of alcohol's impact on health, emphasizing that alcohol intake is a modifiable risk factor for cancer.

Data from the AACR reveals that 75,000 Americans are diagnosed with alcohol-related cancers annually, with the risk increasing with the amount and frequency of alcohol consumed. Dr. Scioli described alcohol as a toxin with harmful effects on various organs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (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 elevate the risk of certain cancers.

Despite the well-known link between tobacco and cancer, public awareness regarding alcohol's role in cancer risk remains limited. The AACR found that 51% of Americans are unaware of this connection. Dr. Scioli stressed the importance of raising public awareness and suggested that reducing alcohol consumption could decrease cancer risk.He mentioned the risks associated with drinking. Sengupta suggested public awareness campaigns and cancer-related warning labels on alcohol products as solutions. She also emphasized the importance of implementing effective clinical approaches to decrease alcohol intake. Thyroid cancer awareness month: Identifying risk factors and early symptoms.