Today, United States Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released a new Surgeon General’s Advisory on Alcohol and Cancer Risk. The release “calls the American people’s attention to an urgent public health issue” regarding the impact alcohol has on cancer risk.
The new guidelines “highlight alcohol use as a leading preventable cause of cancer in the United States, contributing to nearly 100,000 cancer cases and about 20,000 cancer deaths each year.”
Alcohol Increases Cancer Risk
Despite the growing consensus that alcohol can increase risks for at least seven different types of cancers, there is a gap in public knowledge. According to a 2019 survey, only 45 percent of Americans recognized alcohol use as a risk factor for cancer. That’s compared to 91 percent of Americans who recognized the risk of radiation exposure, 89 percent for tobacco use, 81 percent for asbestos exposure and 53 percent for obesity.
According to the new guidance, alcohol can lead to cancer in a few different ways. First, alcohol breaks down into a substance called acetaldehyde, which damages DNA, increasing cancer risk. Second, it causes oxidative stress, damaging DNA, proteins and cells. Alcohol also alters hormone levels, which can increase breast cancer risk. Lastly, alcohol also alters the cells in our mouths and throats, allowing carcinogens to be more easily absorbed.
Based on research published in the British Journal of Cancer, even two drinks a night can increase cancer risk in both men and women. The 2020-2025 U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommended limits of two drinks daily for men and one drink for women. Eighty-three percent of alcohol-related cancer deaths per year in the U.S. occurred beyond those limits, at greater than two drinks per day. That said, roughly 17 percent of the estimated 20,000 U.S. alcohol-related cancer deaths per year occur at drinking levels within those recommended limits.
Calling for Updated Labels
The release suggests updating the U.S. Surgeon General’s warning present on every alcoholic product to include the increased risk of developing cancers. Pursuant to 27 U.S.C. 215, every alcoholic beverage sold in the United States must currently have the following health warning label: “GOVERNMENT WARNING: (1) According to the Surgeon General, women should not drink alcoholic beverages during pregnancy because of the risk of birth defects. (2) Consumption of alcoholic beverages impairs your ability to drive a car or operate machinery and may cause health problems.” This warning has not been updated since its inception in 1988.
