Alcohol Consumption May Increase the Risk of Developing Seven Types of Cancer -

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Increased alcohol consumption, even at moderate levels, is linked to a higher risk of seven types of cancer, according to a new study released Wednesday by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). The agency emphasized that “alcohol is a major and preventable cause” of the disease.

The Lyon-based agency, part of the World Health Organization (WHO), reports that alcohol consumption is responsible for about 4% of all new cancer cases worldwide each year. Even moderate drinking increases the risk of developing cancer.

“Alcohol consumption causes more than 200 diseases and injuries, including cancer,” explained Dr. Harriet Rumgay, a scientist with IARC’s Cancer Surveillance Branch. “Reducing alcohol intake lowers cancer risk. No amount of alcohol is completely safe.”

Alcohol consumption remains a major public health issue, partly due to its well-established role in increasing cancer risk. In 1988, the IARC Monographs Programme classified alcoholic beverages as carcinogenic to humans.

The Global Burden of Alcohol-Related Cancer

In 2020, alcohol consumption was linked to 741,000 new cancer cases worldwide. Men accounted for more than three-quarters (78%) of this burden.

The types of cancer most frequently associated with alcohol consumption were esophageal cancer (190,000 cases), liver cancer (155,000 cases), and breast cancer in women (98,000 cases).

Despite rising public health concerns, alcohol consumption continues to increase in several regions, including the Americas, the Western Pacific, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Southeast Asia. Consumption is currently highest in Europe, where awareness remains low—fewer than half of people know that alcohol can cause cancer.

The proportions of cancers attributable to alcohol were highest among men in East Asia (9%) and Central and Eastern Europe (8%), and among women in Central and Eastern Europe (3%), Australia and New Zealand (3%), and Western Europe (3%).

When it comes to consumption levels, “risky” drinking (2–6 drinks per day) and “heavy” drinking (more than 6 drinks per day) accounted for the majority of cases. However, even “moderate” drinking (less than 2 drinks per day) caused more than 100,000 new cancer cases globally in 2020.

Economic Cost

Economically, alcohol-related cancer deaths cost an estimated €4.6 billion in productivity losses across Europe (EU countries plus Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom) in 2018.

A recent modeling study conducted in collaboration with IARC scientists found that doubling alcohol taxes could have prevented 6% of new alcohol-related cancer cases and deaths in Europe in 2019. The largest potential benefits were observed for breast cancer in women and colorectal cancer.

“Alcohol policies that increase taxes or prices, reduce availability, or restrict marketing are effective ways to reduce alcohol consumption,” said Dr. Daniela Mariosa, a scientist at IARC’s Data Classification Division.