The advisory recommended adding cancer risk warning labels to alcoholic beverages.
Deaths attributable to alcohol use rose by 70.2% in men and 15.2% in women, the study found.
Liver cancer emerged as the most serious risk related to alcohol use, especially in those 55 and older.
Even low to moderate levels of alcohol consumption can increase liver cancer risk in those with other conditions like obesity, diabetes or high cholesterol.
“We hope that our study will help educate the public on the impact of alcohol on individual cancer risk,” he said.
According to a recent, unpublished study being presented at the annual conference of the American Society of Clinical Oncology this week, alcohol-related cancer deaths have doubled in the United States over the last three decades, disproportionately affecting men and those aged 55 and over.
National alcohol-attributable death rates increased significantly from 11,896 to 23,207 deaths between 1990 and 2021.
Dr. Chinmay Jani, the lead author of the study and a clinical fellow in hematology and oncology at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, told ABC News, “We already know other risk factors, such as tobacco, for cancer “. “But it’s crucial to understand that alcohol can cause a variety of cancers and is a risk factor as well. “..”.
According to the study, drinking alcohol in any quantity can be harmful to one’s health. Jani clarified that it doesn’t necessarily imply daily drinking.
Researchers employed statistical techniques to help account for the study’s reliance on self-reported drinking habits, which can contain some errors.
January saw the U.K. S. A surgeon general’s advisory linked alcohol consumption to seven types of cancer, including colorectal and breast cancer. The advisory suggested labeling alcoholic beverages with cancer risk warnings.
Alcohol use has been linked to cancers of the liver, breast, colorectal, esophageal, laryngeal, mouth, and throat, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which has categorized alcohol as a Group-1 carcinogen. Researchers are still trying to figure out the biological basis of alcohol’s role in cancer.
Alcohol-related deaths increased by 15 percent for women and 70 percent for men, according to the study. Because they begin drinking earlier in life and are more likely to partake in risky alcohol-related behaviors, men may be more vulnerable. According to Jani, biological variations might also render them more susceptible.
Washington, D.D., had the highest alcohol-related death rates, according to the study, which also found some statewide variations. and the lowest in Utah, which probably reflects regional trends in alcohol intake.
The most dangerous risk associated with alcohol consumption, particularly for people aged 55 and above, is liver cancer. Drinking alcohol, even at low to moderate levels, can raise the risk of liver cancer in people who already have diabetes, obesity, or high cholesterol.
Jani clarified, “When people drink alcohol at a younger age, it starts to accumulate in your body and then you have manifestations in elderly age. These are things we are not aware of when we are young and drinking alcohol, usually more frequently.”.
Dr. As the head of medical oncology at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and one of the study’s authors, Gilberto Lopes emphasized the urgent need for focused prevention initiatives and public health regulations to increase knowledge of the grave health hazards associated with alcohol consumption.
He stated, “Our study aims to inform the public about the effect of alcohol on personal cancer risk.”.
Doctor. Emory University family medicine resident Zakia Jabarkheel works in the medical unit of ABC News.
