If you drink alcohol you may be at risk of getting cancer. While I appreciate many people may find it difficult to digest the information, the facts cannot be ignored. Organizations like the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) have classified alcoholic beverages as a Group 1 Carcinogen. This past month, a US Surgeon General report highlighted the cancer risks of alcohol consumption and called for warning labels on alcoholic products. Here are the 7 types of cancer directly linked to drinking alcohol.
A Surgeon General’s Advisory is a public statement that calls for action
When the US Surgeon General issues an advisory it’s a public statement to get people’s attention to an urgent public health issue. It also provides recommendations for how it should be addressed.
The advisory issued in January 2025 highlights alcohol use as a leading preventable cause of cancer in the United States. Drinking alcohol contributes to nearly 100,000 cancer cases and about 20,000 cancer deaths each year.
When will people wake up to the perils of drinking alcohol?
We at Longevity have been sharing our concerns for years with readers. Yet, the world is overloaded with information and misinformation so it’s understandable millions of people still remain unaware of the dangers of alcohol and their longevity.
If you’re seeking a better health span, to live longer free of disease then you need to keep reading.
Alcohol consumption is too common
According to the US Surgeon General’s report, “Alcohol use is very common. In 2019-2020, 72% of U.S. adults reported they consumed one or more drinks per week, but less than half of U.S. adults are aware of the relationship between alcohol consumption and cancer risk.”
“The direct link between alcohol use and cancer was first established in the late 1980s, and evidence for this link has strengthened over time.”
This body of scientific evidence demonstrates a causal relationship between alcohol use and increased risk for at least seven different types of cancer. These include breast (in women), colorectum, esophagus, liver, mouth (oral cavity), throat (pharynx), and voice box (larynx).
The more you drink alcohol, the more you’re at risk
The more alcohol consumed, the greater the risk of cancer. For certain cancers, like breast, mouth, and throat cancers, evidence shows that this risk may start to increase around one or fewer drinks per day.
A million preventable cancer cases
According to the report (1), “In 2019, an estimated 96,730 cancer cases were related to alcohol consumption including 42,400 in men and 54,330 in women. This translates to nearly 1 million preventable cancer cases over ten years in the U.S. The largest burden of alcohol-related cancer in the U.S. is for breast cancer in women with an estimated 44,180 cases in 2019, representing 16.4% of the approximately 270,000 total breast cancer cases for women.
Globally, 741,300 cancer cases were related to alcohol consumption in 2020; 185,100 of those cases were related to consumption of approximately two drinks daily or fewer.”
Drinking alcohol is link with several types of cancer
Experts (1,2) say the risk is dose-dependent,
Hence, the more alcohol we drink, the higher the risk. Even light to moderate drinking can increase our cancer risk.
This past month (January 2025), the U.S. Surgeon General (2) noted that alcohol is the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the United States, after tobacco and obesity.
My grandmother drank a lot of alcohol and lived long so why should I give up?
I’m often told (in response to my articles or conversation), “well my grandmother (or father) drank a lot and they lived past 80.” Or, “You can drink a few glasses a week and it’s actually good for you.” Or, “I love drinking alcohol. Don’t be a killjoy! And anyway I don’t believe these findings, there’s no much conflicting information out there and I will take my chances they’re wrong.”
Sadly, it’s just not that simple!
Health risk is based on several factors
We all know that one’s risk varies based on several factors. They include the frequency of alcohol consumption, genetic predispositions, and other lifestyle factors.
Whichever way you want to slice and dice it, when you reduce or eliminate alcohol intake you can lower the risk of developing alcohol-related cancers.
Again, the evidence indicates that the more alcohol a person drinks—particularly the more alcohol a person drinks regularly over time—the higher his or her risk of developing an alcohol-associated cancer. (2)
There are 4 ways alcohol can cause cancer
- Firstly, it breaks down into acetaldehyde which damages DNA in multiple ways.
- It induces oxidative stress which increases inflammation and damages DNA, proteins and cells.
- 3. Alcohol also alters the levels of many hormones, including oestrogen, which can increase breast cancer risk.
- Carcinogens from other sources, such as those found in tobacco can dissolve in alcohol making them easier for the body to absorb.
Who is most at risk?
Even those who have no more than one drink per day and binge drinkers (those who consume 4 or more drinks for women and 5 or more drinks for men in one sitting) have a modestly increased risk of some cancers. (2)
In 2020, 741,300 cancer cases worldwide were attributable to alcohol consumption.
Women are more at risk than men. (1).
Women who drink less than one unit of alcohol per week have a 16.5 per cent greater chance of developing cancer and the risk increases to 21.8 per cent by having one alcoholic drink per day.
About four more women out of 100 would develop breast cancer as a result of consuming two alcohol drinks a day.
For men, the risk of developing cancer is 10 per cent, rising to 13.1 per cent with two alcoholic drinks per day.
Why should we care?
My concern is that too many people are still not aware that alcohol is considered a Group One Carcinogen (1,2).
Managing longevity outcomes is a holistic effort. You need to understand all the risk factors and weigh it up against your lifestyle needs and desires.
If you knew that every time you drink, alcohol is washing the body with toxins that can trigger or exacerbate a cancer, would you keep drinking?
Ultimately, you’re the CEO of your own health. Your body is your temple and the only one you have in this lifetime. It is your choice how you lie your life. No-one escapes lifestyle choices as we age. There is no silver bullet or miracle fix. Anyone who has had a cancer diagnosis and survived it, will attest to this.
If you care about how long you live in good health and are prepared to modify your food, sleep and exercise to improve your longevity, then perhaps it’s time to rethink your relationship with alcohol.
References
From our Longevity archives
Articles to help you understand the link between alcohol and the damage to your longevity.
