Alcohol-Related Cancer Deaths Rising Despite Overall Decline in Cancer Mortality: Lancet

Although overall cancer mortality has steadily declined in recent decades, deaths attributable to alcohol are increasing. The proportion of alcohol-related cancer deaths has risen across most cancer types, age groups, and both sexes. Low public awareness may contribute to this trend, with only 45% of American adults recognizing alcohol as a cancer risk factor compared with 89% who recognize the cancer risks associated with tobacco. The study was published in The Lancet Regional Health by Chinmay T. and colleagues. To evaluate the long-term trends in national statistics, investigators conducted a population-based observational study based on data extracted from the Global Burden of Disease database for the period between 1990 and 2023. Investigators analyzed age-standardized mortality rates (ASMR) per 100,000 people and determined the contribution of deaths caused by cancer associated with heavy alcohol use, which is drinking above the theoretical minimum risk exposure.