Liquor lovers take note: A new surgeon’s note suggests that drinking alcohol – even one drink a day – increases the risk of certain cancers.
Breast cancer had the highest alcohol-related risk for women and those assigned female at birth. The report said that about four in 100 women would be more likely to develop breast cancer if they drank two alcoholic drinks a day. This is regardless of the type of alcohol consumed, including beer and wine.
The report also links alcohol to an increased risk of six other types of cancer: colon, esophagus, liver, mouth, pharynx and larynx.
In recent years there has been a growing body of research highlighting the health risks of alcohol consumption, but now the recommendation goes one step further and calls for the placement of warning labels – similar to the pregnancy warning already placed on alcohol bottles to raise awareness to raise awareness of the connection between alcohol and cancer.
Steven Quay, MD, Ph.D., has been involved in medical research with a focus on breast cancer and preventative therapies for more than 30 years. We asked him what women need to know about the surgeon general’s report and the latest research on the link between alcohol and cancer.
Read: How Much Alcohol Is Too Much for Your Heart Health? >>
For women and those assigned female at birth, what is the biggest takeaway from the Surgeon General’s new alcohol warning?
The surgeon’s advice highlights that even small amounts of alcohol can increase a woman’s risk of cancer, particularly breast cancer. It highlights that breast cancer accounts for the majority of alcohol-related cancers in women, and there is evidence that the risk increases with alcohol consumption of just one drink per day.
This recommendation serves as a wake-up call to reassess societal norms around alcohol consumption, particularly among women, and to promote awareness that alcohol is a modifiable risk factor for one of the most common cancers in women.
Read: My first dry January was full of criticism, but I learned to listen to myself >>
Numerous studies show the connection between cancer and alcohol consumption. So is any amount of alcohol “safe” when it comes to cancer risk?
The evidence suggests that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption when it comes to cancer risk. Both the Surgeon General and National Academy reports suggest that alcohol increases the risk of cancer in a dose-dependent manner, with the risk beginning to increase at even low levels of consumption. The surgeon general’s report specifically states that the best way to reduce the risk of cancer is to avoid alcohol completely. While the National Academy report acknowledges the same connection, it also notes that the absolute increase in risk may be modest at very low levels. The public health message is clear: less is better, and nothing is better.
What do you want women to know about breast cancer and alcohol consumption?
Women need to know that alcohol is a significant, preventable risk factor for breast cancer. The surgeon general’s report highlights that just one drink a day can increase the risk of breast cancer by about 10%, and consuming two drinks a day increases this risk by over 30%. The mechanism involves an alcohol-induced increase in estrogen levels, which can promote the development of hormone-sensitive breast cancers. This reinforces the need for awareness campaigns and a cultural shift in the way alcohol is marketed and consumed by women. Women should be empowered with the knowledge that reducing or eliminating alcohol consumption is a proactive step in reducing their risk of cancer.
Asking a friend: What if you drank for years and thought it was good for you? Can you reduce your risk of cancer if you stop drinking now?
Yes, it is never too late to reduce your risk of cancer by stopping drinking alcohol. The National Academy report notes that stopping alcohol consumption can lead to a gradual reduction in cancer risk over time as the body begins to repair alcohol-related DNA damage and hormonal imbalances. In addition, the surgeon emphasizes in his recommendation that any reduction in alcohol consumption, even after years of consumption, can still contribute to an improvement in general health and a lower risk of alcohol-related cancers. This is particularly important for women who may have consumed alcohol because they incorrectly believed that its effects on the cardiovascular system had benefits that recent evidence suggests are overstated or outweigh the risk of cancer. The key takeaway is that quitting alcohol immediately is an effective and actionable step to improving long-term health outcomes.
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