Understanding the Direct Link Between Alcohol Consumption and Cancer

United States Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released a new Surgeon General’s Advisory on Alcohol and Cancer Risk this month, explaining how drinking alcohol increases the risk of developing seven types of cancer. Alcohol consumption is the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the U.S.

The advisory includes a series of recommendations to increase awareness to help minimize alcohol-related cancer cases and deaths, including updating the existing Surgeon General’s health warning label on alcohol-containing beverages.

“When we’re aware of a significant, preventable cause of cancer, as health leaders we have the responsibility to inform the public so that they can make informed decisions about their health,” says Iahn Gonsenhauser, MD, MBA, Lee Health’s Chief Medical Officer, about the Surgeon General’s Advisory. 

“The Surgeon General doesn’t make these recommendations unless the information and impact are deemed critical,” he adds. “Advisories are reserved for significant public health challenges that require the nation’s immediate awareness and action.”

In the U.S., there are about 100,000 alcohol-related cancer cases and about 20,000 alcohol-related cancer deaths annually. Cancer risk increases as alcohol consumption increases. For certain cancers, like breast, mouth, and throat cancers, evidence shows that the risk of developing cancer may start to increase around one or fewer drinks per day. A person’s risk of developing cancer due to alcohol consumption is determined by a complex interaction of biological, environmental, social, and economic factors.

Types of cancer linked to alcohol

Research has identified seven types of cancer linked with alcohol consumption, regardless of the type of alcohol you drink, whether it’s beer, wine, or spirits:

• Cancers of the breast
• Colorectum
• Esophagus
• Liver
• Mouth (oral cavity)
• Throat (pharynx)
• Voice box (larynx)

Why does drinking alcohol raise cancer risk?

Alcohol, or ethanol, is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen (a substance capable of causing cancer by the International Agency for Research on Cancer). This classification places alcohol in the same category as tobacco and asbestos, substances known to cause cancer in humans. When consumed, alcohol is metabolized into acetaldehyde, a toxic chemical that can damage DNA and proteins, leading to the development of cancerous cells, researchers believe.

READ: A Lee Health cardiologist explains how excessive drinking can also affect your heart health

Recommended guidelines to lower your cancer risk

To lower your cancer risk associated with drinking alcohol, the Surgeon General’s Advisory recommends the following:

• Choose not to drink beverages containing alcohol.
• Limit how much you drink: For men, this means having no more than two drinks per day, and for women, having no more than one drink per day.
• Avoid binge drinking: Binge drinking significantly increases cancer risk and should be avoided.
• Seek support: Those who struggle with alcohol dependency should seek professional help and support to reduce their consumption. Check your drinking with this online tool provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For Spanish, go here.

READ: How to help someone with a drinking problem

The advisory, according to Dr. Gonsenhauser, isn't a mandate for personal behavior and choices but rather a call to update the surgeon general’s warnings on alcohol-containing bottles about the risk of cancer. Labels currently warn about drinking during pregnancy and drinking while operating machinery or driving a car. 

He adds the advisory also recommends that the current recommended limits for alcohol consumption for both men and women be adjusted to account for cancer risk. Lastly, the advisory calls for people to be mindful of the relationship between alcohol consumption and the increased cancer risk when deciding whether or how much to drink. 

“The evidence is conclusive,” Dr. Gonsenhauser says. “There is no question based on the extensive evidence from biological studies that ethanol, the type of pure alcohol found in all alcohol-containing beverages, causes cancer.  The Surgeon General’s Advisory serves as a reminder of the health dangers posed by alcohol consumption. By understanding the risks and following the recommended guidelines, individuals can take proactive steps to protect their health and reduce their chances of developing alcohol-related cancers.”

READ: His recovery from alcohol addiction led him to help others

Lee Health Addiction Medicine – Behavioral Health Center: Support is Here

Addiction is a psychological and physical inability to stop consuming a chemical, drug, activity, or substance even though it is causing psychological and physical harm. It’s an equal opportunity affliction that affects people without regard to economic circumstances, education, race, geography, IQ, or any other factors. 

Lee Health's qualified, compassionate team will help you find ways to manage addiction. This includes medication, therapy and constant access to support and encouragement.

Call 239-343-9180 if you or a loved one need support or want to learn more.

WATCH HEALTH MATTERS: Dr. Denise Torres discusses how Lee Health’s Addiction Program can help