U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued an advisory on Jan. 3 sounding alarm over the direct link between alcohol consumption and cancer risk. The advisory identifies alcohol as the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the United States, behind tobacco and obesity.
“Alcohol is a well-established, preventable cause of cancer 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.—yet the majority of Americans are unaware of this risk,” Murthy said. “This advisory lays out steps we can all take to increase awareness of alcohol’s cancer risk and minimize harm.”
At least seven types of cancer
For at least seven types of cancer, including cancers of the breast, colorectum, esophagus, liver, mouth (oral cavity), throat (pharynx) and voice box (larynx), the direct link between alcohol consumption and cancer risk is well-established, regardless of the type of alcohol consumed.
In the U.S., there are about 100,000 alcohol-related cancer cases and about 20,000 alcohol-related cancer deaths annually. The new advisory is part of a series aimed at raising awareness about alcohol’s link to cancer.
The top doctor also called for a health warning label on alcohol-containing beverages to now include cancer risk.
In Canada, there is Bill S-254, which proposes adding a warning label on alcoholic beverages backed by the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS). According to CCS, about 75 per cent of Canadians aged 15 years and older report consuming alcoholic beverages. Also, more than 40 per cent are unaware that alcohol consumption increases the risk of cancer.
The U.S. advisory is issued after a study published on Dec. 23 showcased that tea and coffee may lower cancer risks.
Tea, coffee lower cancer risks
After analyzing data from 25,000 people, researchers found that drinking coffee and tea may lower the risk of head and neck cancers. However, they emphasize the need for further research to better understand these associations. The study, published in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, offers fresh insights into how daily habits might influence cancer prevention.
Findings revealed that consuming more than four cups of caffeinated coffee daily reduced the risk of head and neck cancers by 17%, oral cavity cancers by 30%, and throat cancers by 22%. Moderate coffee intake—three to four cups daily—was linked to a 41% lower risk of hypopharyngeal cancer, which affects the lower throat.
“While there has been prior research on coffee and tea consumption and reduced risk of cancer, this study highlighted their varying effects with different sub-sites of head and neck cancer, including the observation that even decaffeinated coffee had some positive impact,” said senior author Yuan-Chin Amy Lee, an adjunct associate professor for the Division of Public Health in the U’s Department of Family and Preventive Medicine.
“Coffee and tea habits are fairly complex, and these findings support the need for more data and further studies around the impact that coffee and tea can have on reducing cancer risk,” she added.
Decaffeinated coffee lowers risks
Decaffeinated coffee also showed promise, lowering oral cancer risk by 25%. Tea drinkers experienced mixed results. One cup or less daily was associated with a 9% lower overall risk of head and neck cancer and a 27% lower risk of hypopharyngeal cancer. However, drinking more than one cup daily was linked to a 38% higher risk of laryngeal cancer.
Head and neck cancers rank as the seventh most common cancers worldwide, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. The study highlights the complex effects of coffee and tea on different cancer types, emphasizing the need for further research.
