By BuddyT
Given all of the scientific evidence that has accumulated over the years, there is no doubt that there is a link between drinking alcohol and several types of cancer.
In 2000, the National Toxicology Program of the US Department of Health and Human Services listed consumption of alcoholic beverages as a known human carcinogen for the first time.
Since then multiple studies have confirmed that the more alcohol you consume regularly over time the higher your risk of developing an alcohol-related cancer.
Alcohol consumption has clearly been linked to the development of the following types of cancer:
Research has shown that alcohol consumption is definitely linked to head and neck cancers, particularly cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx, and larynx. Drinkers who consume 3.5 or more drinks a day are 2 to 3 times more likely to develop these cancers.
RELATED: How Alcohol Compounds Its Damage to the Brain
Drinkers who also smoke tobacco are much more likely to develop head and neck cancers.
Alcohol has been found to be a major risk factor for developing a specific type of esophageal cancer called esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. This is particular true for people who have inherited a deficiency in an enzyme that metabolizes alcohol. Again, drinkers who smoke run even more of a risk of developing esophageal cancers.
Drinking alcohol is not only an independent risk factor for liver cancer, it is a primary cause of it. Long-term alcohol use has been linked to an increased risk of liver cancer. The inflammation and scarring that chronic alcohol use can do to the liver may be a contributing factor.
The link between alcohol consumption and breast cancer in women has been confirmed by more than 100 epidemiologic studies. The increased risk of developing breast cancer is directly related to an increase in alcohol consumption.
One analysis of 58,000 cases of breast cancer in women found that women who drank 3 drinks per day had a 50 percent higher risk than nondrinkers. Another study found that even 1 drink per day elevated the risk of developing breast cancer.
RELATED: Alcohol's Metabolism Could Be the Key to Its Risks
A British study revealed that for every 10 grams of alcohol consumed per day (less than 1 drink) there is a 12 percent increase in the risk of breast cancer.
The risk is particularly higher for women who do not get enough of the B vitamin folate.
Alcohol use has been linked to an increased risk of cancers of the colon and rectum. People who regular drink 3.5 drinks a day have a 1.5 times greater risk of developing colorectal cancer compared to nondrinkers or even occasional drinkers.
For every 10 grams of alcohol consumed each day there is a 7 percent increase in the risk of developing colon or rectal cancers.
Multiple studies have found no association between alcohol consumption at the risk of these cancers:
No one understands exactly why, but an increase in alcohol consumption has been linked to a decreased risk of renal cell (kidney) cancer and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).
Sources:
American Cancer Society. "Alcohol Use and Cancer." What Causes Cancer? Revised April 2017
National Cancer Institute. "Alcohol and Cancer Risk." Risk Factors Revised June 2013
Learn more about the effects of alcohol.
Welcome!
Welcome to the Alcoholism Home Page. If this is your first time here or even if you have been around the rooms for while, start on this page to find the information or help you are seeking.
-- BuddyT
Participate in online meetings from your computer or device or fellowship in the 24/7 open chat room. StepChat also offers meeting attendance confirmation for court-mandated participants.
Find the latest research and findings, statistics and scientific developments related to alcoholism, substance abuse, and treatment options.
Historian and archivist Mitchell K's study of the history of Alcoholics Anonymous begins way before A.A.'s actual founding.