Quitting or Reducing Alcohol Can Decrease Risk of Certain Cancers—Study

When it comes to preventing cancer, there are no scientifically established safe amounts of alcohol you can drink.

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While the health risks of alcohol are well-documented, a recent report concluded that the reduction or cessation of drinking alcoholic beverages can significantly reduce the likelihood of developing oral and esophageal cancer.

The report, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, was compiled by nineteen medical experts from eight different countries around the world. The extensive review of 91 research studies found sufficient evidence that decreasing or eliminating alcohol from one’s diet reduces the risk of developing oral or esophageal cancer. The panel also discovered limited evidence regarding alcohol intake for laryngeal and colorectal cancers.

Review Findings Explained

The researchers also determined that the longer a person stopped drinking alcohol, the lower their risk of developing certain cancers. The study did not establish whether a minimum amount of alcohol is considered acceptable or safe in regard to cancer risk.

“These findings are not a surprise,” Dr. Misagh Karimi told The Epoch Times in an email. Dr. Karimi is a medical oncologist at the City of Hope Orange County Lennar Foundation Cancer Center in Irvine, California.

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“This report adds to decades of research showing a connection between alcohol consumption and cancer. While it is still an evolving area of research, we know that cutting alcohol consumption significantly reduces the risk of certain cancers.”

How Does Alcohol Cause Cancer?

Researchers found that acetaldehyde, a toxin generated by the liver during the metabolism of alcohol, is the causative agent for alcohol-related cancer. Therefore, the less alcohol one consumes, the less acetaldehyde is produced by the body, and the lower the likelihood of developing certain cancers.

“It’s important to note that all alcoholic drinks, including wine, beer, and spirits, contain ethanol and therefore have the potential to increase cancer risk. In general, the more you drink, the higher your cancer risk, and there is evidence that the amount of alcohol a person drinks over time may be the most important factor,” Dr. Karimi explains.

Because acetaldehyde is a carcinogen, Dr. Karimi notes, “It can damage DNA and potentially contribute to tumor formation and cell and liver damage, although the associations and mechanisms are not yet fully understood.”

Does Using Alcohol With Other Substances Increase Cancer Risk?

Other studies suggest a strong link between multiple substance use and cancer risk. Tobacco use is a known contributor to most alcohol-related cancers, including mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, liver, colorectal, and breast cancers. It is also important to note that using tobacco and alcohol concurrently increases the risk of cancer more than using either of them alone. Finally, research also supports that overall cancer risk is higher in people who use certain illicit drugs, including opiates and cocaine.

“Alcohol and tobacco are both carcinogens that increase the risk of cancer and cancer recurrence. There is not a scientifically established ‘safe’ amount you can drink, any more than there is a safe number of cigarettes you can smoke. When it comes to preventing cancer, drinking less is better, and not drinking at all is best. If you stop drinking alcohol today, you won’t instantly reduce your cancer risk, but the benefits will make an impact over time. For people who choose to drink alcohol, guidelines suggest no more than one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men,” Dr. Karimi advises.

Other Risk Factors for Cancer

It is estimated that between 30-50 percent of all cancers can be prevented by avoiding risk factors and utilizing prevention strategies. However, many different factors can influence a person’s risk of developing cancer. Some of those risk factors may include:

• Alcohol consumption.
• Tobacco use.
• Poor diet.
• Physical inactivity.
• Air pollution.
• Certain chronic infections (i.e., H. Pylori, HPV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Epstein-Barr).
• Genetic predisposition.

“There are a number of actions we can take to reduce the risk of getting cancer, and reducing or eliminating alcohol use is one of them,” says Dr. Karimi. “As a medical oncologist, one of my most frequent recommendations to patients is to make—and maintain—healthy lifestyle changes as part of their cancer prevention or treatment plan. Those changes typically include cutting out alcohol, quitting tobacco if used, eating more green, leafy vegetables and whole grains, reducing or eliminating highly processed foods, maintaining a healthy body weight, and being physically active. If you are a patient with cancer or a cancer survivor, speak with your oncologist about your alcohol intake and ways to reduce or eliminate drinking if needed.”

Future Research Needs

In this particular study, the researchers were unable to determine the exact degree of reduced risk associated with alcohol reduction or cessation. They also could not determine how long after quitting alcohol a person begins to experience benefits. Future research could shed some much-needed light on these two aspects as they relate to cancer risk.

“Further research on this topic is needed as alcohol consumption can have both short and long-term risks. Prior research has shown that even low amounts of alcohol consumption increase the risk of other types of cancer including mouth and throat, esophagus, colon and rectum, liver, and breast. We have also seen that excessive alcohol consumption can lead to other chronic diseases over time, such as high blood pressure, stroke, liver disease, digestive problems, and heart disease,” Dr. Karimi explains.