The role alcohol plays in new cancer cases – landmark new report

Jacob Lund / Alamy Stock Photo by Justin Stebbing, Anglia Ruskin University A little bit of alcohol was once thought to be good for you. However, as scientific research advances, we’re gaining a clearer picture of alcohol’s effect on health – especially regarding cancer. The complex relationship between alcohol and cancer was recently highlighted in a new report from the American Association for Cancer Research. The report’s findings are eye-opening. The authors of the report estimate that 40% of all cancer cases are associated with “modifiable risk factors” – in other words, things we can change ourselves. Alcohol consumption being prominent among them. Six types of cancer are linked to alcohol consumption: head and neck cancers, oesophageal cancer, liver cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer and stomach cancer. The statistics are sobering. In 2019, more than one in 20 cancer diagnoses in the west were attributed to alcohol consumption, and this is increasing with time. This figure challenges the widespread perception of alcohol as a harmless social lubricant and builds on several well-conducted studies linking alcohol consumption to cancer risk. But this isn’t just about the present – it’s also about the future. The report highlights a concerning trend: rising rates...