Two alcoholic drinks a day increases risks for seven types of cancer

Jan. 3 (UPI) — U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said Friday that two alcoholic drinks a day increases the risk for seven types of cancer, calling for cancer warning labels on alcohol.

The surgeon general’s alcohol cancer advisory said alcohol is the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the United States.

“Today, I’m releasing a Surgeon General’s Advisory on the causal link between alcohol consumption and increased cancer risk,” General Murthy said in a statement on X. “Alcohol is the 3rd leading preventable cause of cancer in the U.S., contributing to about 100,000 cancer cases and 20,000 cancer deaths each year.”

Types of cancer linked to alcohol consumption include mouth, throat, voice box, esophagus, breast, liver and colon cancer.

“Alcohol is a well-established, preventable cause of cancer responsible for about 100,000 cases of cancer and 20,000 cancer deaths annually in the United States — greater than the 13,500 alcohol-associated traffic crash fatalities per year in the U.S.,” General Murthy said in a statement. “Yet the majority of Americans are unaware of this risk.”

The advisory said alcohol breaks down into acetaldehyde, which in turn damages DNA in multiple ways, according to the surgeon general.

“Alcohol induces oxidative stress, increasing the risk of cancer by damaging DNA, proteins, and cells and increasing inflammation,” the advisory said.”Alcohol leads to greater absorption of carcinogens.”

According to the advisory, the cancer risk rises with the amount of alcohol consumed.

About five more women out of 100 would develop cancer from the consumption of two alcoholic drinks per day while about three more men would develop cancer from two drinks a day.

Women risk higher rates of breast cancer from two drinks a day. About four more women out of 100 would develop breast cancer after consuming two drinks a day, according to the surgeon general.

“Less than half of Americans are aware that alcohol consumption increases cancer risk,” the advisory said

The advisory urges a reassessment of alcohol consumption guidelines to account for cancer risk.

“For certain cancers, like breast, mouth, and throat cancers, evidence shows that the risk of developing cancer may start to increase around one or fewer drinks per day. An individual’s risk of developing cancer due to alcohol consumption is determined by a complex interaction of biological, environmental, social, and economic factors,” it said.