"Just Drinking to Lift Your Mood"...Unexpected Warning: Raises Risk of Cancer Death

"Even Light Drinking Greatly Raises Cancer Risk, Study Warns"
Alcohol-Related Cancer Deaths in the US Have Doubled Over 30 Years

According to a recent study, even consuming just one can of beer per day can greatly increase the risk of death from cancer.

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On September 3 (local time), CNN reported on research published in the medical journal 'The Lancet Regional Health – Americas,' which found that annual alcohol-related cancer deaths in the United States more than doubled from 11,361 in 1990 to 23,126 in 2023. Over the past 33 years, the proportion of deaths caused by cancer that are attributable to alcohol among adults aged 20 and older has also doubled.

Researchers at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami closely analyzed over 30 years of U.S. data from the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD), finding that alcohol consumption is strongly associated with several types of cancer: breast cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer, rectal cancer, stomach cancer, pancreatic cancer, liver cancer, and head and neck cancers. Notably, even light drinking—such as a small can of beer (about 355 ml), a glass of wine (about 148 ml), or a shot of 40% alcohol spirit (about 44 ml)—significantly increased the risk of developing cancer.

Jane Chinmai, a researcher, warned, "Even if it is only one standard drink per day, drinking daily can already increase the risk of cancer in the body." Getty Images

Researcher Jane Chin warned, "Even if it is only one standard drink per day, drinking every day can already increase the risk of cancer in the body." Cardiologist Andrew Freeman emphasized, "Modern science shows that there is no such thing as a safe amount of alcohol," and stressed the need for much greater awareness of the risks associated with drinking.

When looking specifically at patterns by age and gender, among men aged 20 to 54, colon and rectal cancers were the most common alcohol-related causes of cancer death, while among women, breast cancer claimed the highest number of deaths. For men aged 55 and older, the alcohol-related cancer death rate has increased by about 24% over the past 33 years, with liver cancer, esophageal cancer, colon cancer, and rectal cancer being the most affected. For women in the same age group, breast cancer also accounted for the highest proportion of deaths. Jane Chin explained that for the same amount of alcohol consumed, women and younger individuals face a higher risk of developing cancer.

Chin noted, "This study alone does not prove that people need to quit drinking entirely, but the key message is that it is best to reduce alcohol consumption to the lowest possible level for health reasons."

Meanwhile, alcohol causes cancer by producing acetaldehyde during the breakdown process, which directly damages and interferes with the repair of cellular DNA. In addition, alcohol disrupts the hormonal system, induces oxidative stress and inflammation, and hinders the absorption of essential nutrients that are important for anti-cancer functions in the body.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.