Alcohol and Cancer - HK Technical PGIMS

You might think you drink alcohol, but alcohol drinks you back too through the deadly disease, called cancer.

Image source: Recovered

Heavy drinkers have a much higher risk of certain cancers compared to non-drinkers or occasional drinkers. For example:

Mouth and throat cancer: 5 times higher
Oesophagus cancer: nearly 5 times higher
Colon cancer: 1.4 times higher
Larynx cancer: 2.5 times higher
Breast cancer: 1.6 times higher

Heavy drinkers also face higher risks of:

Stomach cancer: 1.2 times
Liver cancer: 2 times
Gallbladder cancer: 2.6 times
Pancreatic cancer: 1.2 times
Lung cancer: 1.1 times

Contents

What is alcohol?

Alcohol also known as ethanol is the substance found in various drinks. It is produced through fermentation of sugars by yeast in grains, fruits and vegetables. But alcohol is both highly addictive and toxic. Read more.

How much alcohol is contained in your drink?

The alcohol content varies widely across different beverages:

Beer: 0.9% – 6%
Wine: 12% – 14%
Spirits (Scotch, rum, vodka): 40% – 55%

All types of alcohol, such as red and white wine, beer, and liquor, are connected to cancer. In the U.S., approximately 20,000 adults die annually from alcohol-related cancers. Alcohol drinking can cause cancer by:

Hormonal alterations: When we drink alcohol, our bodies convert it into a chemical called acetaldehyde. This chemical can harm our cells and prevent them from fixing the damage.
Alcohol can make harmful chemicals more likely to damage cells in the mouth and throat.
Cellular damage: Alcohol can raise levels of certain hormones like estrogen and insulin in our bodies. Higher levels of these hormones can cause cells to divide more often, which may increase the risk of cancer.

7 types of cancer caused by alcohol

Breast cancer: Even minimal alcohol consumption can raise the risk of breast cancer in women. This might be because alcohol can raise estrogen levels in the body.
Bowel cancer: Drinking alcohol increases the risk of getting bowel or colon and rectal cancer.
Mouth cancer: Combining alcohol with smoking can heighten the risk of mouth cancer by up to 30 times. This is because alcohol can weaken the mouth’s protective barrier, making it easier for harmful tobacco substances to penetrate.
Oesophageal (food pipe) cancer: Light drinking, even as little as one alcoholic drink a day, is linked to a higher risk of esophageal cancer.
Larynx (Voice box) cancer: Moderate drinkers are 1.4 times more likely to get voice box cancer compared to non-drinkers. Heavy drinkers face an even greater risk, being 2.6 times more likely to develop voice box cancer.
Pharynx (Upper throat) cancer: Moderate drinkers are 1.8 times more likely to develop upper throat cancer compared to non-drinkers. Heavy drinkers are 5 times more likely to develop throat cancers.
Liver cancer: Drinking a lot regularly can hurt the liver, causing it to become inflamed and scarred, which can increase the risk of liver cancer.

Alcohol-related cancer types differ between genders

In the WHO European Region, the cancers most often linked to alcohol consumption are breast cancer in women and colorectal cancer in men.

How can I reduce my risk of cancer from drinking liquor?

Reducing alcohol consumption can lower your cancer risk.
To lower your cancer risk, consider making small changes to your drinking habits.
The NHS recommends limiting alcohol intake to 14 units per week, though drinking less is even better. Read more.

Focus keywords: Alcohol, Cancer

Written by Liya Sunny

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