WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Excessive alcohol consumption has been strongly linked to an increased risk of developing six different types of cancer, as highlighted in a recent national cancer progress report.
According to the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), alcohol use is identified as the third largest controllable cancer risk factor, following smoking and obesity.
Lead author of the AACR Cancer Progress Report 2024, Rajarshi Sengupta says, 'Excessive levels of alcohol consumption increase the risk for six different types of cancer, including certain types of head and neck cancer, esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, and breast, colorectal, liver and stomach cancers.'
Bubu Banini, a member of the Yale Cancer Center and associate director of the Clinical and Translational Core at the Yale Liver Center, further emphasized the detrimental impact of excessive alcohol use, stating that it is linked to over 200 different diseases, including various types of malignancy, liver disease, heart disease, reproductive dysfunction, kidney disease, brain damage, and cognitive dysfunction, among others.
The mechanisms through which alcohol can potentially increase cancer risk were also highlighted by Banini. She explained that alcohol can be metabolized into acetaldehyde in the body, causing damage to cells and interfering with their ability to repair the damage. This can lead to mistakes in DNA repair, ultimately increasing the risk of cancer. Additionally, alcohol consumption can lead to an increase in oxidative stress, resulting in cell damage and further elevating the risk of cancer.
Banini emphasized the lack of a safe threshold for alcohol consumption and recommended complete avoidance, particularly for women. Even low levels of alcohol consumption, such as one drink a day, have been demonstrated to increase the risk of breast cancer compared to women who do not drink. The risk of breast cancer is estimated to increase by 15 percent for women who have three drinks per week, with an additional 10 percent increase for each additional drink regularly consumed each day.
Furthermore, Banini warned against starting alcohol consumption for any reason, particularly in the current era of the obesity pandemic, as the combination of alcohol and obesity further heightens the risk of cancer.
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