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Alcohol ups the risk of dying from at least 10 types of cancer
CNN • • general
Key Points:
- A new study reveals that alcohol's role in cancer deaths in the U.S. has doubled over the past 33 years, affecting multiple cancers including breast, prostate, colorectal, stomach, pancreatic, liver, and head and neck cancers.
- Even moderate drinking—about one standard drink per day—increases cancer risk, challenging previous federal guidelines that allowed up to two drinks daily for men and one for women.
- Alcohol contributes to cancer by producing acetaldehyde, a probable carcinogen, causing DNA damage, oxidative stress, inflammation, and interfering with nutrient absorption important for cancer prevention.
- The study found men and adults over 55 are most affected, with liver cancer being the leading alcohol-related cause of death in men, while breast cancer leads for women; younger adults and women face higher cancer risk at lower alcohol consumption levels.
- Researchers emphasize reducing alcohol intake to the lowest possible level to minimize cancer risk, highlighting that many alcohol-related cancers, particularly head and neck cancers, could be prevented by limiting alcohol use.
