Alcohol increases your cancer risk. Here’s what to know – MLive.com
U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy recently issued a 2025 advisory calling for a warning about the risk of cancer to be included on alcoholic beverages. Pictured is a photo of the current government warning label required on alcoholic beverages for more than 30 years. (Justin P. Hicks | MLive.com)Justin P. HicksAbout 90% of U.S. adults are aware that radiation and tobacco are linked to increased cancer risk, yet only 45% know alcohol is associated with the disease.U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy recently released a 2025 advisory in which he called the public’s attention to the dangers of alcohol consumption as it relates to mouth, throat, esophagus, voice box, breast, liver, and colorectal cancer.The more frequent a person drinks, the higher their risk of developing cancer. The same increased risk is true for drinks with higher alcohol content.Dr. Mohammad Christi, a Corewell Health hematologist and oncologist, said the risk has been downplayed in the United States, resulting in an uninformed population. New studies over the last decade have only strengthened what the health industry had previously suspected.“Primary care physicians and the community have to take this up as an effort to cut down on alcohol and recommend limiting consumption and increasing education because it’s so lacking,” Christi said.“Informing in a clinical setting about the link between alcohol and increased cancer risk can improve survival.”The Surgeon General’s report referenced a global analysis of 572 studies examining data from 486,538 cancer cases. The findings collectively supported alcohol’s association with greater cancer risk.Related: The 25 Michigan bars with the highest liquor sales in 2023But why is alcohol bad for you?Alcohol breaks down into acetaldehyde, which can damage DNA in the body and risk the growth of cancerous cells.It also induces oxidative stress, which causes inflammation and can damage DNA, protein and cells, and alters levels of multiple hormones including estrogen, which has an affect on breast cancer risk.Lastly, alcohol allows for greater absorption of carcinogens. Thus, combining tobacco and alcohol can further increase the likelihood of developing cancer.In the U.S., there are about 100,000 alcohol-related cancer cases and 20,000 alcohol-related cancer deaths annually, according to the Surgeon General’s report. That’s more than deaths from alcohol-related traffic crashes (about 13,500 per year).Related: ‘New lease on life’: 1st patient receives new non-invasive cancer treatment in West MichiganRisk exists for all drinkers, though it’s higher for women, studies show. Christi said that’s likely because of alcohol’s affect on estrogen levels, which may be a catalyst for breast cancer.The Surgeon General recommends updating health warnings on alcoholic beverages as a means to increase awareness about alcohol-related risks. It cited an experiment in Canada where warning labels resulted in a 10% increase in knowledge about the link between alcohol and cancer after two months.Other countries that include this type of warning on alcoholic beverages include Ireland and South Korea.Whether to edit the current government warning on alcoholic beverages is up to Congress. The label, as it reads today, has been the same since 1988.“I’m not sure why it’s not been labeled as a risk,” Christi said. “If you look at the studies, more and more information is coming out.”One misconception the Southeast Michigan doctor dismissed is that a class of red wine per day is actually good for your heart health.“That’s outdated,” Christi said. “It’s controversial but at the end of the day, there’s more evidence of damage than benefit.”He said the better advice for improve heart health would include diet modifications, exercise, and seeking foods with omega-3 fatty acids.As for drinking, he said cutting down on the amount and frequency of consuming alcohol is a good practice for limiting your risk of cancer.For more information, visit hhs.gov and check out the page titled “Alcohol and Cancer Risk.” The 22-page Surgeon General’s report can be downloaded there as well.If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. 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