Enjoying a cocktail, in moderation, is often viewed as a way to relax and be social. However, a study recently presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s annual meeting found that alcohol-related deaths, particularly those linked to cancers of the head and neck (mouth, throat, voice box, esophagus), liver, colon and breast, nearly doubled over the past 30 years. Men ages 55 and older are most at risk for these alcohol-related cancers and subsequent deaths. The study also revealed that the Washington, D.C. area reported the highest occurence of alcohol-associated cancers while Utah reported the lowest.
In 1987, the International Agency on Cancer Research, a branch of the World Health Organization, classified alcohol as a carcinogen and today it is considered the third-leading preventable cause of cancer, according to a report from the U.S. surgeon general. Alcohol is responsible for 100,000 cases of cancer and 20,000 cancer deaths annually and yet people are more likely to connect tobacco use with cancer than alcohol use with cancer.
Like tobacco, alcohol breaks down into a carcinogen in the body. Alcohol’s carcinogenic effect is cumulative, building up over time. In men, alcohol use has been found to be most commonly linked to liver cancer. In women, it’s breast cancer.
Warning labels about consuming alcohol while driving or operating heavy machinery or while pregnant already exist but the surgeon general is pushing for labels to warn of alcohol’s link to cancer.