That "Healthy" Glass of Wine? It Could Be Raising Your Cancer Risk

Any level of alcohol consumption raises cancer risk, with even moderate drinking linked to seven types of cancer, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy warned in a landmark health advisory that challenges long-held assumptions about safe drinking levels.

The advisory reveals the connection between alcohol and cancer, showing that drinking causes 100,000 cancer cases and 20,000 cancer deaths annually in the United States, leading health officials to call for updated warning labels on alcohol products.

Current drinking guidelines that recommend up to one drink daily for women and two for men need revision due to cancer risks within these limits, Murthy said in an article with the Washington Post.

"It is important for people to understand the risks so that they can make the best decisions for themselves and their families," Murthy said. "That is why I am issuing this advisory."

The World Health Organization researchers state that consuming just one standard drink per day raises the risk of certain cancers. However, Murthy noted that risk levels vary with consumption patterns.

"Cancer risk is lower for someone who drinks one or two drinks a week than somebody who drinks one or two drinks a day," Murthy said. "Less is better when it comes to reducing cancer risk."

Seven types of cancer have direct links to alcohol consumption: breast, colorectal, mouth, throat, voice box, esophageal, and liver cancer, according to the advisory.

For breast cancer specifically, the risk increases by 4 percent when comparing consumption of less than one drink weekly to two drinks daily, Murthy explained. This translates to four additional cases of breast cancer per 100 women among those consuming two drinks per day.

Data cited in the surgeon general's advisory shows varying lifetime risks for alcohol-related cancers based on consumption levels. For those drinking less than one alcoholic beverage weekly, the absolute risk is about 10 percent for men and 16.5 percent for women. According to the Washington Post article, this risk increases to approximately 11 percent for men and 19 percent for women who drink daily and rises further to 13 percent for men and 22 percent for women consuming two drinks per day.

Otis Brawley, professor of oncology and epidemiology at the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University, said individual cancer risk from alcohol varies based on multiple factors.

"The associated risk is different for each type of cancer," Brawley said. He noted that risk increases with regular drinking over extended periods, adding that binge drinking "is especially bad."

Other health factors like obesity and smoking also influence cancer risk, according to Brawley. William Dahut, chief scientific officer at the American Cancer Society, identified tobacco as the primary cancer-causing agent but noted alcohol's role will become more prominent as tobacco use declines.

"I do think it is important folks are at least aware of this real — and really good — scientific evidence of this link between alcohol and cancer," Dahut said.

The advisory emphasizes increased risk for certain populations. People with previous cancer diagnoses or family histories of alcohol-related cancers "need to be really thoughtful" about alcohol consumption, Dahut said.

"If you have had heavy alcohol use in the past, or you are concerned, you should probably talk to your physician," he said. "Your alcohol use should be part of how you think about your cancer screening."

Previous research suggested potential cardiovascular benefits from red wine consumption. Still, recent studies have weakened this evidence while strengthening the connection to cancer risk, according to Timothy R. Rebbeck, professor of cancer prevention at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Brawley advised against panic among light drinkers, explaining that while their cancer risk is slightly elevated compared to non-drinkers, the advisory does not indicate they will develop cancer. The risk increases more substantially for those who binge drink.

Murthy acknowledged the challenges in applying population-level data to individual cases but emphasized the impact on public health. "Over the population, that kind of change, even though it might seem small by the numbers, actually really does matter," he said.

The surgeon general particularly stressed awareness for those having increased cancer risk due to genetic factors or environmental exposures. He said these individuals should carefully consider their alcohol consumption patterns.

Most people remain unaware of the connection between alcohol and cancer risk, Murthy noted. The new advisory aims to increase public understanding through expanded warning labels and education about the spectrum of risks associated with different levels of alcohol consumption.

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