It is often reported that moderate consumption of alcohol may decrease the risk for heart disease. However, it is seldom reported that regular use of alcohol increases the risk for many cancers.

Some of the cancers impacted by regular alcohol use include:

• Breast cancer
• Colon and Rectum cancer
• Liver cancer
• Cancer of the mouth, pharynx, and larynx
• Cancer of the esophagus

A recent report published in the International Journal of Cancer estimates that alcohol is responsible for more than 389,000 cases of cancer and 232,900 cancer deaths in the world each year. This represents over 3.6% of all cancers (5.2% in men, and 1.7% in women). In other words, 1 out of every 20 cancers in men is caused from drinking alcohol.  Among women, 60% of all alcohol-attributable cancers were breast cancer. Among men, 60% of alcohol-attributable cancers were in the upper digestive tract.

In 2004, 500,270 deaths occurred from cancer in the United States. This calculates to 19,259 cases of cancer each year in the U.S. caused from drinking alcohol when using the estimate of 3.5% as the number of cancer deaths caused from alcohol.

What It Means:

The authors concluded that the burden of alcohol-associated cancer appears to be substantial and needs to be considered when making decisions about drinking and health. Not drinking is the safest course with regards to cancer prevention.

Source: Boffetta, et al. (August 2006). The burden of cancer attributable to alcohol drinking. International Journal of Cancer, 119:884-887.