New advisory emphasizes the connection between alcohol and cancer

U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has issued an advisory that points to a direct correlation between alcohol consumption and an increased risk of cancer. The advisory offers information on the prevalence of alcohol-related cancer cases and outlines tangible steps for raising awareness.

“In the U.S., there are about 100,000 alcohol-related cancer cases and about 20,000 alcohol-related cancer deaths annually,” says Dr. Murthy, who calls for an update to the Surgeon General’s warning on alcoholic beverages. The advisory also recommends that health care providers educate patients about the connection, promote alcohol screenings and provide treatment referrals as needed. 

Dr. Ameer Gomberawalla, a breast surgical oncologist at Advocate Health Care and medical director of the Advocate Breast Program, says he and his colleagues already recommend that patients limit or avoid alcohol altogether.

“Avoiding and eliminating alcohol is a simple lifestyle change you can make to help reduce your risk of many cancers – and specifically breast cancer. This advisory helps underscore that many people are still not aware of the link between alcohol and cancer,” he says.

The advisory says alcohol consumption increases the risk of developing at least seven types of cancer: mouth, throat, larynx, esophagus, liver, colorectal and breast. It also states that more than 16% of breast cancer cases can be directly attributed to alcohol consumption.

“Alcohol increases cancer risk because your liver breaks down the ethanol in alcoholic drinks to acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde then damages both DNA (the genetic material that makes up genes) and proteins, which can increase your cancer risk,” Dr. Gomberawalla says. “It can also alter estrogen hormone levels, which is linked to an increased risk for breast cancer.” 

He says educating his patients so they can make informed decisions about what they put into their body is a big part of his role. “In addition to eliminating alcohol, we advise getting regular exercise, eating healthy, quitting smoking and maintaining a normal vitamin D level.”

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