Cancer deaths linked to alcohol consumption have doubled in the United States over the past three decades, with a particularly sharp rise among men aged 55 and older, according to a study presented this week at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual conference.
The analysis of national death rates between 1990 and 2021 revealed an increase from 11,896 to 23,207 deaths attributable to alcohol use. Researchers found a 70.2% increase in deaths among men and a 15.2% increase among women. The findings, which have not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal, highlight alcohol as a significant, and often overlooked, cancer risk factor.
“We already realize other risk factors, such as tobacco, for cancer,” said Dr. Chinmay Jani, lead author of the study and a clinical fellow in hematology and oncology at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. “However, it is very important to know that alcohol is also a risk factor and can be a carcinogen in many different cancers.”
The study focused on seven cancer types linked to alcohol consumption: breast, liver, colorectal, throat, voice box, mouth and esophageal. While alcohol isn’t the sole cause of these cancers, it is considered a contributing factor. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies alcohol as a Group-1 carcinogen, meaning there is sufficient evidence to conclude it causes cancer.
The surge in alcohol-related cancer deaths comes despite an overall decline in cancer mortality rates in the U.S. Over the same period, with overall cancer deaths falling by approximately 35% according to data from the American Cancer Society. This disparity underscores the specific impact of alcohol as a driver of cancer mortality.
In January, the U.S. Surgeon General issued an advisory linking alcohol use to these same seven cancers, recommending the addition of cancer risk warning labels to alcoholic beverages. The advisory followed a 2022 population-based survey which revealed that approximately 39% of respondents were unaware of the connection between alcohol and cancer risk. A 2019 survey from the American Institute for Cancer Research showed that up to 55% of respondents were unaware of the effects of alcohol on cancer risk.
Researchers noted that even moderate alcohol consumption can pose a health risk. “It doesn’t necessarily mean that you are drinking every day,” explained Dr. Jani. Alcohol metabolism produces acetaldehyde, a carcinogen that damages DNA and creates oxidative stress. It also impacts hormonal pathways, particularly estrogen levels, potentially increasing the risk of breast cancer.
Senator Patrick Brazeau has publicly supported cancer warning labels on alcoholic products since 2022, advocating for increased public awareness of the risks associated with alcohol consumption.
The study relied on self-reported drinking habits, which researchers acknowledged may contain inaccuracies, but statistical methods were used to mitigate these potential errors. Scientists continue to investigate the biological mechanisms by which alcohol contributes to cancer development.
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