A recent study featured in the 2024 Cancer Progress Report by the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) highlights a significant link between alcohol consumption and cancer, attributing over 5% of all cancer cases to alcohol use. Alcohol ranks as the third most critical cancer risk factor, trailing obesity and cigarette smoking.
Dr. Rajarshi Sengupta, the report’s lead author, notes that excessive alcohol intake heightens the risk of six types of cancer—certain head and neck cancers, esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, and cancers of the breast, colorectal, liver, and stomach. Moreover, reducing or eliminating alcohol consumption can lower the risk of alcohol-related cancers by 8% and the overall risk of cancer by 4%.
Dr. Adam Scioli, an addiction psychiatrist at Caron Treatment Centers, emphasized the evolving understanding of alcohol’s health impacts, asserting its role as a modifiable cancer risk factor. The AACR’s data reveals that 75,000 Americans are diagnosed annually with cancers linked to alcohol use, with the risk amplifying with the quantity and frequency of drinking. Scioli describes alcohol as a toxin, noting its damaging effects on multiple organs.
Despite the well-publicized connection between tobacco and cancer, many Americans remain unaware of alcohol’s cancer risks. The AACR report states that 51% of Americans do not know about this link. Dr. Scioli underscores the need for heightened public awareness and advocates for strategies to discourage heavy drinking. Rajarshi Sengupta calls for public health campaigns and cancer-specific warning labels on alcoholic beverages to address this issue effectively.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), moderate drinking is defined as up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks for men. However, the CDC warns that even low levels of alcohol use may increase the risk of some cancers, further emphasizing the importance of public education and preventative measures.
Original Story https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health-news/its-toxic-drinking-alcohol-can-cause-six-types-of-cancer/articleshow/113784311.cms
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