New Report Reveals Drinking Alcohol Is Linked to Cancer

The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) published its Cancer Progress Report for 2024 this Wednesday, September 18th, and among the findings are significant takeaways for those of us who drink. 

The report highlights a clear relationship between alcohol consumption and increased risk of cancer, a link that’s noteworthy as cancer rates are increasing among young adults. Luckily, this also means that individuals can make lifestyle changes to reduce their chances of developing cancer.

According to the AACR, 40% of all cancers in the United States are connected to modifiable risk factors including tobacco use, physical inactivity, poor diet, and excessive alcohol consumption. In 2019 — the most recent year with available data — 5.4% of cancer cases were ascribed to alcohol use. 

The good news is that this information means people can lower the likelihood of cancer diagnoses by minimizing their alcohol intake. Cited by the new cancer report, a 2022 study concluded that “increased alcohol consumption was associated with higher risks for alcohol-related and all cancers, whereas sustained quitting and reduced drinking were associated with lower risks of alcohol-related and all cancers. Alcohol cessation and reduction should be reinforced for the prevention of cancer.” 

Just how dangerous is alcohol and what kind of cancers should people be concerned about?

More specifically, as the AACR extrapolates, stopping drinking or reducing your alcohol intake can reduce your risk of alcohol-related cancers by 8%, and lower your risk of any form of cancer by 4%, in comparison with those who continue or increase the amount of alcohol they imbibe.

Consumption of alcohol specifically increases the possibility of six types of cancer: colorectal cancer, female breast cancer, certain types of head and neck cancer, liver cancer, esophageal cancer, and stomach cancer. While the mortality rate for cancer patients in the United States has been steadily in decline over the past few decades — numbers show a decreased cancer death rate between 1991 and 2021 that translates to roughly 4.1 million fewer lives lost — some types of the disease are still increasing in frequency, such as early-onset colorectal cancer and female breast cancer. Knowledge of modifiable risk factors presents a valuable opportunity to help prevent these cases from occurring.

A lack of awareness also presents an issue. What needs to be done in terms of public messaging?

Although the research shows that decreased drinking can help lower the possibility of cancer, unfortunately data also indicates that most people are unaware alcohol is even considered a cancer risk factor.

A survey commissioned by The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute found that 51% of respondents did not associate alcohol or risk factors like physical inactivity with colon cancer, instead assuming that greater risk is primarily affiliated with family history.

But if people don’t know that alcohol is linked to cancer, how will they be able to reduce their risk? The answer, as the AACR points out, is to work on public health messaging. Tobacco is the leading preventable cause of cancer, and successful nationwide initiatives to educate audiences about the dangers of tobacco have been instrumental in prompting a significant decline in lung cancer cases over the past decade. 

The progress report recommends that we effect similar changes to teach people about alcohol and its connection to cancer, noting that “Public messaging campaigns (such as cancer-specific warning labels displayed on alcoholic beverages) along with effective clinical strategies that reduce or eliminate alcohol consumption must be considered to reduce the burden of alcohol-related cancers.”

I consulted Ernest Hawk, MD, MPH, Head of Cancer Prevention and Population Science at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center as well, who elaborated on one possible solution, which is to affix warning labels directly onto alcohol products. Hawk says that “Canadian scientists did just that in a brief research study. They found that placing colorful labels, alerting the public to alcohol’s risks, on the front of alcohol bottles reduced alcohol sales in the areas selling those products.”

Unfortunately, as Hawk points out, “Implementing alcohol-and-cancer warning labels is not easily accomplished in the US or other countries due to strong and/or consistent countering efforts by the alcohol industry. As we’ve also seen over the last decade, many celebrities are personally investing in the alcoholic beverage industry, which may have an influence on the public’s perception of alcohol use.”

What’s the American Association for Cancer Research’s recommendation for alcohol consumption?

The AACR does include a sidebar in its newly published content with recommendations for how much alcohol you can safely consume daily, based on guidelines from the US Department of Agriculture and the US Department of Health and Human Services. The infographic outlines that if you are going to drink, it’s best to do it in moderation. For women, this means one or fewer drinks per day, and for men, two or less. (It does not detail why these recommendations differ based on gender or how non-binary and trans people should determine the appropriate amount of alcohol to drink.) 

The Cancer Progress Report is an annual update on and overview of what federally funded cancer research has learned throughout the past year, in addition to a call for policy changes based on its findings. For questions about the report and the data it’s based on, you can contact the AACR directly, and for any personal health concerns your best resource is to always start with your primary care physician.