Alcohol intake increases the risk of six different cancers

Alcohol is third on the list of cancer risk factors after obesity

Some experts say that alcohol consumption is linked to six types of cancer. In fact, more than 5% of all cancers are linked to alcohol consumption. It has long been known that there is no amount of alcohol that is good for the body, and recent studies are pointing to its potential harm.

Among cancer risk factors, alcohol is the third most dangerous after obesity (7.6% of cases) and cigarette smoking (19.3%). Alcohol abstinence is needed to reduce cancer risk^[1].

Excessive alcohol consumption increases the risk of six different types of cancer, including certain head and neck cancers, oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma, breast, colorectal, liver and stomach cancers. In addition, studies show that drinking alcohol at an early age can increase the risk of cancer in later life. According to these findings, limiting or completely abstaining from alcohol can reduce the risk of alcohol-related cancers by 8% and the risk of all cancers by at least 4%.

Even moderate alcohol consumption can increase the overall risk of death and chronic diseases

According to addiction psychiatrist Dr Adam Scioli of Caron Treatment Centres in Pennsylvania, there have been many "rollercoasters of information" about whether alcohol is harmful.

"For many years, there were even reports that it might have health benefits, but now we know that alcohol consumption is a risk factor for cancer," Scioli said with a laugh.

According to the latter, every year, around 75,000 Americans are diagnosed with cancer that is in some way linked to alcohol consumption. It is warned that the more a person drinks, both in quantity and frequency, the higher the risk.

Alcohol is a toxin that affects many organs, from the brain to the large intestine. As far as the so-called "safe level of alcohol" is concerned, moderate alcohol consumption is defined as one or fewer drinks per day for women; for men, it is two or fewer drinks per day. However, even moderate alcohol consumption has been shown to increase the overall risk of death and chronic diseases. It can, therefore, be argued that alcohol consumption does not have additional health benefits, even though the line between safety and risk is debatable and varies from person to person^[2].

Reducing alcohol consumption reduces the risk of oncological diseases

Although risk factors such as tobacco use are widely known, public awareness of the link between alcohol and cancer remains low. For example, the majority of Americans (51%) do not know that alcohol increases cancer risk.

"It has been kept quiet for too long, especially given the number of Americans who meet the criteria for alcohol use disorder, which was estimated at 29 million in 2023," Scioli says. But the good news is that avoiding these risk factors reduces the likelihood of getting sick. 

In fact, every year, around 75,000 Americans are diagnosed with cancer that is linked in some way to alcohol consumption.

One solution is to raise public awareness of the risks associated with alcohol consumption, especially moderate and heavy drinking. It is also important to inform the public that mechanisms are available to help them if they cannot reduce or stop drinking independently. It is equally important to take other measures, such as appropriate information campaigns by putting warning labels on alcoholic beverages.

Ireland is expected to be the first country in the world to provide a label linking alcohol consumption to cancer. A recent report by experts from the World Health Organisation said the measure should be in place by 2026.

Alcohol dependence is a risk factor for social functioning and mental health

In reality, it is best not to drink alcohol at all, but many people find this quite difficult.

Remarkably, the benefits of alcohol restriction are not only related to cancer risk. High levels of alcohol are considered toxic to the human body. For example, there is a large body of scientific literature on the effects of alcohol consumption on the liver, described as hepatitis (acute form), cirrhosis (chronic form) and possible liver cancer. It can also directly and immediately affect the brain, affecting sleep, wakefulness, cognition, coordination, and emotional regulation. In general, acute and chronic alcohol dependence and tolerance are high-risk factors for social functioning and mental health.

Although some studies show that drinking red wine is supposedly beneficial to health, others suggest that any potential benefits do not outweigh the risks. Yes, red wine is sometimes spoken of as a halo, but when it comes to cancer, wine is still considered alcohol and should be restricted.

Finally, it is important to remember that there are many aspects of lifestyle that we should focus on in order to optimize our health, from healthy living to quality rest and physical activity.