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Excessive alcohol use is a pervasive problem throughout the U.S. Alcohol dependency can develop slowly, over time, and you may not realize you have developed an addiction that requires treatment.
But addiction isn’t the only risk associated with alcohol use. Alcohol consumption is a leading preventable cause of cancer in the United States says U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy. The Surgeon General’s advisory draws a direct link between alcohol consumption and increased cancer risk. Alcohol consumption ranks behind only tobacco use and obesity as a preventable cancer risk factor.
The advisory points to growing scientific evidence of the link between alcohol consumption and cancer risk. It also notes that less than 50% of Americans recognize that alcohol consumption significantly increases the risk of at least seven types of cancer.
The Surgeon General’s Advisory recommends increasing awareness to reduce deaths caused by an alcohol-cancer connection, including putting a Surgeon General’s health warning label on all beverages containing alcohol.
Dr. Murthy noted that the connection between alcohol and cancer has been well established. He asserts that alcohol is responsible for, “About 100,000 cases of cancer and 20,000 cancer deaths annually in the United States – greater than the 13,500 alcohol associated traffic crash fatalities per year in the U.S.” He goes on to say that most Americans are unaware of the risks.
The risk increases for esophageal, liver, breast, colorectal, mouth, voice box and throat cancer. An estimated 16.4% of breast cancer can be attributed to alcohol consumption. And the increased cancer risk pertains to all types of alcohol rather than to hard liquor alone.
The advisory further states that the risk of cancer is proportional to consumption but the risk may increase for throat, mouth and breast cancers with as little as one drink a day. Every individual’s risk is different. Social, economic, biological and environmental factors all play a part.
The advisory contains other recommendations in addition to the updated health warning label on alcohol products. It also calls for new alcohol consumption guideline limits to reflect the increased cancer risk.
Community groups and public health professionals should increase education efforts to alert the public that alcohol consumption is a modifiable cancer risk factor. Healthcare providers should inform patients about the risks, increase alcohol screenings, and refer for alcohol detoxification and addiction treatment as needed.
