Alcohol ups the risk of dying from at least 10 types of cancer
A recent study suggests that alcohol consumption is linked to a higher risk of death from at least 10 types of cancer, with the percentage of alcohol-attributable cancer deaths doubling over the last 33 years. Experts now argue that there is no safe amount of alcohol consumption for health.
Why it matters
This challenges long-standing beliefs about moderate drinking and highlights a growing public health concern regarding cancer mortality.
Alcohol may play a greater role in death from numerous types of cancers in the United States than previously known, according to a new study. “While it’s true that overall cancer mortality has declined, we found the percentage of cancer deaths proportionally attributable to alcohol doubled in people 20 and older over the last 33 years,” said the study’s first author Dr. Chinmay Jani. The increased risk of death applies to breast, prostate, colon, rectum, stomach, pancreatic and liver cancers, as well as cancers of the head and neck, the research found. “Overall, we know alcohol is closely related to liver cancer mortality,” said Jani, chief clinical fellow in hematology and oncology at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center of the University of Miami.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in