The Connection Between Alcohol Consumption and Cancer
The concerning link between alcohol and cancer
According to 2023 data from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 224.3 million people report they’ve consumed alcohol at some point in their lifetime. That’s approximately 65% of the total U.S. population—and a little over 79% of the population over the age of 12.
It’s proof that alcohol use has become normalized. So much so that it’s easy to forget that it’s an addictive substance. But it is—and it’s the most commonly used one in the United States.
The widespread acceptance of regular alcohol use is concerning enough, but it’s become even more alarming due to recent news stories linking alcohol consumption to different types of cancer.
Alcohol likely plays a role in many of your company parties, happy hours, and social outings, with recent research showing that up to 84% of work-related events involve alcohol.
We know you care deeply about supporting your employees in living healthy lives. That starts with being informed. Here’s what you need to know about how alcohol increases cancer risks.
Alcohol and cancer: Understanding the risks
The connection between alcohol and cancer isn’t a scare tactic or a hypothesis—it’s proven. The U.S. Surgeon General recently issued an advisory about this relationship, even going as far as to call for a new health warning label on alcoholic beverages.
The advisory points to alcohol as the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the country, contributing to an estimated 100,000 cancer cases and 20,000 cancer deaths each year. Researchers have found a connection between alcohol consumption and an increased risk of the following types of cancers:
- Breast cancer
- Colorectal cancer
- Esophageal cancer
- Head and neck cancer
- Liver cancer
There’s ongoing research and evidence-gathering to establish a connection between alcohol and other types of cancers too, such as melanoma, prostate cancers, and pancreatic cancers.
So, how much does alcohol use impact cancer risk? It depends on the level of consumption. For some cancer types, increased risk is associated only with heavy consumption. But for other types of cancers, any level of alcohol use exacerbates the risk:
There are different opinions on what counts as “moderate” or “heavy” drinking. As a general rule, the Mayo Clinic explains that “moderate” alcohol use means having no more than one drink per day for women and no more than two drinks per day for men. Anything above that is considered “heavy” drinking.
And while it’s tempting to think that the type of alcoholic beverage would play a role here, it doesn’t. It’s alcohol itself that increases the risk of cancer—regardless of what type of drink it’s used in.
5 ways alcohol can contribute to cancer
Alcohol was named a carcinogen (meaning a substance that increases your risk of cancer) in the late 1980s. So, while this link between alcohol and cancer is getting a lot of attention now, it’s not necessarily a new discovery.
But why does alcohol increase the risk of certain cancers? Let’s take a look at what happens in the body after drinking an alcoholic beverage.
1. Turning ethanol in drinks into acetaldehyde
All alcoholic drinks contain ethanol. After consuming alcohol, the liver gets to work to break down that ethanol using an enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH). Through that process, the ethanol is turned into acetaldehyde—another known carcinogen.
The good news is that acetaldehyde is relatively short-lived in the body as it’s quickly broken down into acetate, a molecule that’s oxidized as carbon dioxide. However, while acetate isn’t a carcinogen itself, it acts like fuel for tumors and can promote the growth and survival of cancer cells.
2. Generating reactive oxygen species
We all have reactive oxygen species (ROS) in our bodies. These small molecules are naturally produced during different cellular processes and metabolic reactions, but alcohol increases the generation of ROS.
Too high of ROS levels can damage DNA, proteins, and lipids. This can lead to uncontrolled cell growth (something called oxidative stress) that contributes to cancer development.
3. Impairing the breakdown and absorption of nutrients that help prevent cancers
Ethanol (which, again, is present in all alcohol) damages the cells that line the stomach and intestines, which makes it increasingly difficult for the body to absorb necessary nutrients. Chronic alcohol use has even been linked to malnutrition.
Alcohol consumption prevents the body from absorbing nutrients from food that help fight cancer, like folic acid, vitamin B-12, and vitamin D.
4. Increasing levels of estrogen, which contributes to breast cancer
After consuming an alcoholic beverage, the liver focuses on metabolizing that alcohol—which means the liver is less focused on regulating the body’s hormones. This causes estrogen levels to fluctuate.
Estrogen is proven to promote the growth of breast cancer cells, which solidifies the direct link between alcohol use and breast cancer. Women who have as little as one glass of alcohol per day can increase their risk of breast cancer by up to 10%.
5. Increasing intake of other carcinogenic contaminants
Ethanol and acetaldehyde aren’t the only carcinogens found in alcoholic beverages. The production or fermentation of these drinks can introduce other carcinogenic contaminants like nitrosamines, asbestos fibers, phenols, and hydrocarbons.
Put simply, more carcinogens translate to more cancer risk.
Carrum can help in both areas
Perhaps an employee needs support in addressing alcohol use or dependency. Or maybe they’ve been diagnosed with cancer and need help navigating the treatment process.
Either situation is a vulnerable and emotional time, and Carrum Health is here to help in both of those scenarios. Carrum partners with high-quality addiction treatment centers to address substance use problems with care and compassion. Additionally, Carrum’s cancer care program offers both cancer treatment and a cancer advisory program that connects patients with top cancer specialists.
Whether they’ve received a cancer diagnosis or are struggling with chronic alcohol use, Carrum helps your employees access high-quality, affordable care.
How to Support an Employee Who Is Struggling with Substance Use
Better health starts with awareness and information. The more your employees understand the connection between alcohol and cancer, the better equipped they are to make well-informed choices for themselves.
The information contained on this page is for informational purposes only. No material is intended to be a substitute for professional legal or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
