Alcohol use is the third leading cause of preventable cancer in the U.S. after tobacco and obesity, according to a new recommendation from the U.S. Surgeon General, requiring labels to warn consumers about cancer risks. It is said that there is.
The advisory, published on Friday, found that alcohol use contributes to around 100,000 cancer cases and around 20,000 cancer deaths each year. They also found that alcohol-related cancer deaths shortened the lifespan of those who died by an average of 15 years.
U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy also re-evaluated guidelines on limiting alcohol consumption to help consumers consider cancer risks when deciding whether and how much to drink. asked to do so. Alcohol warnings have already been issued in the United States regarding birth defects and impairment when operating machinery.
“Alcohol consumption is the third leading cause of preventable cancer in the United States, behind tobacco and obesity, and increases the risk of at least seven types of cancer,” Murthy’s office said in a statement accompanying the new report. said.
Any such changes to warning labels must be made by the U.S. Congress.
According to the recommendations, the greatest burden of alcohol-related cancer in the United States is female breast cancer, with an estimated 44,180 cases in 2019, accounting for 16.4% of the approximately 270,000 total female breast cancer cases. .
In women, breast cancer accounts for approximately 60% of alcohol-related cancer deaths. Meanwhile, liver cancer accounts for the majority of alcohol-related cancer deaths in men, accounting for approximately 33% and colorectal cancer approximately 21%.
Overall, alcohol consumption increases the risk of developing at least seven types of cancer. In addition to colorectal and breast cancer, alcohol consumption increases the risk of mouth, throat, esophageal, voice tract, and liver cancers.
The recommendation also states that approximately 83% of the estimated 20,000 alcohol-related cancer deaths per year in the United States are caused by drinking more than the federally recommended standard of two drinks a day for men and one drink a day for women. It was also revealed that the amount occurs among people. It also said that of the estimated 20,000 alcohol-related cancer deaths each year, the remaining 17% occur at levels within recommended limits.
The advisory lists four ways alcohol can cause cancer, including that alcohol breaks down into acetaldehyde in the body, which can damage DNA in a variety of ways, thereby increasing the risk of cancer. Alcohol can also induce oxidative stress, which can damage DNA, proteins, and cells and increase inflammation, increasing cancer risk. The third way is alcohol’s ability to change the levels of multiple hormones, including estrogen, which can increase the risk of breast cancer. Alcohol consumption can also increase the absorption of carcinogens.
Despite the clear link between alcohol consumption and cancer risk, less than half of Americans are actually aware of the risk. According to a 2019 study cited in the advisory, 45% of Americans recognize alcohol use as a risk factor for cancer, compared to 91% who recognize the risk of radiation exposure. %, 89% perceived risk of tobacco use, 81% perceived risk of asbestos exposure, and 53% perceived risk of asbestos exposure. % for obesity.
Friday’s recommendations are not the first report to highlight the link between alcohol consumption and cancer risk.
A similar report published in August by the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid found that the harms associated with drinking may be greater for people in poorer health. According to researchers, high-risk drinking increases the risk of death from cancer and cardiovascular disease.
Additionally, a report from the American Association for Cancer Research released in September found that heavy alcohol consumption increases the risk of six types of malignancies. These include squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus, as well as certain types of head and neck cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, liver cancer, and stomach cancer, the New York Times reported, citing the report. .
