Alcohol consumption could possibly be linked to increased risk of cancer, suggests study

Alcohol intake has been related to an increased risk of cancer, according to a recent study. Researchers warn that alcohol intake was responsible for 4% of all new cancer cases worldwide last year and that there is a pressing need to educate the public about this. The study, which was published in the journal The Lancet Oncology, anticipates that approximately 6.3 million cases of mouth, pharynx, voice box larynx, oesophageal, colon, rectum, liver, and breast cancer will be diagnosed in the year 2020. All of these incidents were linked to the drinking of alcoholic beverages.

Over three-quarters of the instances, or 77 percent, included men who were regular drinkers. One out of every seven instances, on the other hand, was connected to a moderate alcohol intake of two drinks per day. Women were responsible for 23% of the estimated 741,300 cases. Researchers analysed the amount of alcohol people consumed each day in various countries throughout the world using data from alcohol sales, manufacturing, taxation, and consumption. The data utilized was from 2010, thus it would have taken ten years for the influence to show up in cancer cases.

Where were the highest and lowest number of cases found?

According to the study, the number of new instances of alcohol-related cancer varied greatly around the world, with the highest numbers in East Asia and Central and Eastern Europe and the lowest in North Africa and Western Asia. The highest proportion of alcohol-related cases were found in Mongolia, China, Moldova, and Romania, while the lowest was found in Kuwait, Libya, and Saudi Arabia. Oesophageal cancer (189,700 cases), liver cancer (154,700 cases), and breast cancer (154,700 cases) were among the most common cancers (98,300 cases).

The authors of this study pointed out that previous research has shown that alcohol intake damages DNA and affects hormone production, both of which can contribute to cancer formation. Harriet Rumgay, one of the authors, argues that not just the public but also policymakers need to be made aware of the possible link between alcohol intake and cancer risk. Rumgay believes that a variety of policies, such as limiting alcohol availability, health warning labels, pricing, and marketing bans, could reduce the incidence of alcohol-related cancer. However, policies must be adapted to various locations.