Marcella La Cioppa According to recent research, alcohol consumption increases the risk of developing various types of cancer even in younger people.
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The American Association for Cancer Research recently released its 2024 report on the progress of cancer, highlighting an alarming connection in consuming alcohol with six types of cancers on the rise among young adults.
The AACR added that nearly 40% of all cancers can be attributed to lifestyle changes in modifiable risk factors, including excessive alcohol consumption, use of tobacco, physical inactivity, and unhealthy diets.
Given that alcohol consumption is a modifiable risk factor, reducing consumption can help individuals lower their risk for developing specific cancers.
From this study, the AACR report says that those who reduce alcohol intake or abstain altogether can lower the risk of alcohol-associated cancers by 8% and overall cancer risk by 4%.
What cancers does alcohol use increase the risk for?
The risk of six types of cancers is increased with excessive alcohol use:
- Head and neck cancers
- Breast cancer
- Colorectal cancer
- Squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus
- Liver cancer
- Stomach cance
It is highlighted in the report that, in 2019, cancers which were attributed to alcohol consumption accounted for 5.4% of all cancers. In addition, early age commencement of drinking escalates the risk of cancer in later years of life.
Research also shows that moderate to high levels of alcohol consumption during pregnancy also elevates the risk of leukemia in children post-birth.
The survey revealed that “about a third of adults, 31%, think hard liquor increases the risk of cancer. About a quarter, 25%, identify beer as a risk increaser; 20% believe this about wine consumption.
More than half of the adults said they were not aware of how alcoholic beverages affected the risk of cancer.
The report authors wrote:
Educating the public about the ways in which alcohol increases cancer risk will not only enable consumers to make better choices but may also prevent and reduce excessive alcohol consumption, along with cancer morbidity and mortality.”
