Alcohol Causes Cancer
“No amount of alcohol consumption is safe for your health”¹
Alcohol consumption causes cancer, even in small amounts. This association was made in 1910 and perhaps even earlier. In 1985, the World Health Organization identified alcohol as being carcinogenic to animals and to humans in 1988.² While this association is well known in research studies, the general public is largely unaware and often cannot correctly identify which cancers are associated to alcohol use.³⁻⁶ The purpose of this webpage is to inform the public of the risk so they can make an informed decision about drinking.
How Does Alcohol Cause Cancer?
There are multiple ways alcohol causes cancer. Any cell directly exposed to alcohol can die, causing underlying stem cells to rapidly divide in an attempt to replace the dead cells. Mutations can naturally occur in rapidly dividing cells, but when immature cells are exposed to alcohol, the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or the genetic makeup of a cell can change, causing more mutations. This localized effect leads to cancer of the mouth, pharynx, and esophagus, or tissues directly exposed to alcohol after consumption.⁷ In the liver, alcohol is broken down into acetaldehyde, which is a known carcinogen and it can also change DNA.²,⁷–¹⁰ The rates of acetaldehyde production can vary from person to person, but those with higher levels are at greater risk of cancer.¹¹ Alcohol can also increase hormone levels, leading to cancer development.⁷,⁹,¹²
What Types of Cancer Does Alcohol Cause?
Alcohol can cause cancer in many areas of the body including lips, mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, liver, pancreas, colon, rectum, and prostate.¹³–¹⁵ Alcohol can also cause breast cancer in both men and women.¹¹,¹³,¹⁶ Esophageal cancer is the most common type of cancer caused by alcohol, especially in men. Breast cancer is the most common alcohol related cancer for women.¹³
References
No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health. Accessed July 13, 2023. https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/04-01-2023-no-level-of-alcohol-consumption-is-safe-for-our-health
IARC. Alcohol Drinking. Accessed July 24, 2023. https://publications.iarc.fr/Book-And-Report-Series/Iarc-Monographs-On-The-Identification-Of-Carcinogenic-Hazards-To-Humans/Alcohol-Drinking-1988
Buykx P, Gilligan C, Ward B, Kippen R, Chapman K. Public support for alcohol policies associated with knowledge of cancer risk. Int J Drug Policy. 2015;26(4):371-379. doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2014.08.006
Coomber K, Mayshak R, Curtis A, Miller PG. Awareness and correlates of short-term and long-term consequences of alcohol use among Australian drinkers. Aust N Z Publ Health. 2017;41(3):237-242. doi:10.1111/1753-6405.12634
Merten JW, Parker A, Williams A, King JL, Largo-Wight E, Osmani M. Cancer Risk Factor Knowledge Among Young Adults. J Cancer Educ. 2017;32(4):865-870. doi:10.1007/s13187-016-1093-3
Oh DY, Choi KS, Shin HR, Bang YJ. Public Awareness of Gastric Cancer Risk Factors and Disease Screening in a High Risk Region: A Population-Based Study. Cancer Res Treat. 2009;41(2):59-66. doi:10.4143/crt.2009.41.2.59
López-Lázaro M. A local mechanism by which alcohol consumption causes cancer. Oral Oncol. 2016;62:149-152. doi:10.1016/j.oraloncology.2016.10.001
Alcohol Metabolism-Alcohol Alert No.35-1997. Accessed July 23, 2023. https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aa35.htm
Scheideler JK, Klein WMP. Awareness of the Link between Alcohol Consumption and Cancer across the World: A Review. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2018;27(4):429-437. doi:10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-17-0645
Brooks PJ, Theruvathu JA. DNA adducts from acetaldehyde: implications for alcohol-related carcinogenesis. Alcohol. 2005;35(3):187-193. doi:10.1016/j.alcohol.2005.03.009
Seitz HK, Becker P. Alcohol Metabolism and Cancer Risk. Alcohol Res Health. 2007;30(1):38-47.
Liu Y, Nguyen N, Colditz GA. Links between Alcohol Consumption and Breast Cancer: A Look at the Evidence. Womens Health (Lond Engl). 2015;11(1):65-77. doi:10.2217/WHE.14.62
The global burden of alcohol attributable to drinking alcohol. Accessed July 22, 2023. https://www.thelancet.com/infographics-do/alcohol-cancer
Petticrew M, Maani Hessari N, Knai C, Weiderpass E. How alcohol industry organisations mislead the public about alcohol and cancer. DRUG ALCOHOL REV. 2018;37(3):293-303. doi:10.1111/dar.12596
Jinhui Zhao, Stockwell T, Roemer A, Chikritzhs T. Is alcohol consumption a risk factor for prostate cancer? A systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC CANCER. 2016;16:1-13. doi:10.1186/s12885-016-2891-z
Guénel P, Cyr D, Sabroe S, et al. Alcohol drinking may increase risk of breast cancer in men: a European population-based case-control study. Cancer Causes Control. 2004;15(6):571-580. doi:10.1023/B:CACO.0000036154.18162.43
