Even a single can of beer each evening may not be as harmless as it seems when it comes to cancer risk, according to a new study. Alcohol-related cancer deaths in the United States more than doubled over 33 years, with colorectal cancer standing out among men and breast cancer among women.
Even One Can a Day Carries Risk
Researchers at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami analyzed U.S. data from the Global Burden of Disease study covering 1990 to 2023 and published their findings in the journal Lancet Regional Health — Americas, CNN reported on the 3rd.
Annual alcohol-related cancer deaths in the United States rose to 23,126 in 2023 from 11,361 in 1990, more than doubling. The share of all cancer deaths among adults aged 20 and over attributable to drinking also roughly doubled over the same period.
Notably, the risk does not require heavy drinking. The researchers said cancer risk can rise even at the level of about one drink a day.
In the United States, a standard drink is roughly 12 ounces (about 355 milliliters) of regular beer, 5 ounces (about 148 milliliters) of wine, or 1.5 ounces (about 44 milliliters) of distilled spirits at 40% alcohol by volume. That is comparable to a small can of beer or a glass of wine commonly sold in South Korea.
Chinmay Jani, the researcher who led the study, said the findings do not prove that people must stop drinking entirely, but added that the message is that reducing alcohol consumption to the lowest possible level is best for health.
Colorectal Cancer in Men, Breast Cancer in Women
The range of cancers linked to alcohol was broad. The study identified alcohol-related death risk in breast, prostate, colon, rectal, stomach, pancreatic and liver cancers, as well as head and neck cancers involving the lips, oral cavity, pharynx and larynx, and esophageal cancer.
The cancers that stood out varied by age and sex. Among men aged 20 to 54, colorectal cancer accounted for the largest share of alcohol-related cancer deaths. Among women, breast cancer was the leading cause of alcohol-related cancer deaths.
The alcohol-related cancer death rate among men aged 55 and over rose about 24% over the 33 years. In that age group, liver cancer showed the strongest link, followed by esophageal and colorectal cancer. Among women aged 55 and over, breast cancer was the most common, followed by liver and colorectal cancer.
At the same level of consumption, the researchers said, cancer risk may be greater for women and for men under 55. Jani said that for the same proportion of alcohol consumed, the estimated risk of developing cancer is higher in women and in younger men and women.
What Happens Inside the Body
Several pathways link alcohol to higher cancer risk. According to the U.S. National Cancer Institute, alcohol is converted into acetaldehyde as the liver breaks it down. That substance can damage DNA and interfere with the proper repair of damaged DNA.
Alcohol can also affect levels of hormones including estrogen, which may be linked to breast cancer risk. It triggers oxidative stress and inflammation and can interfere with the breakdown and absorption of nutrients needed to lower cancer risk, such as vitamins A, C, D and E and folate.
Risk factors can compound when drinking is combined with smoking. Alcohol can weaken cells in the mouth and throat, leaving them more vulnerable to carcinogens in tobacco smoke.
Rather than searching for a threshold below which drinking is safe, the researchers stressed the importance of cutting the amount and frequency of routine drinking as much as possible. A light daily drink, they said, cannot be taken lightly in health terms.
