Alcohol causes at least 7 types of cancer
You probably know that smoking or spending too long in the sun can cause cancer, but it's less well known that alcohol use can increase the risk of at least seven types of cancer. Across Australia, alcohol causes nearly 3,500 cancer cases every year.
his link was first found more than 30 years ago. Yet Australian research has found the majority of Australians are unaware that alcohol causes cancer, with fewer than one in five of us aware it could cause breast cancer.
There is strong evidence that alcohol increases the risk of at least seven types of cancer, including:
- Mouth
- Pharynx (throat)
- Larynx (throat)
- Oesophagus
- Liver
- Breast (female)
- Bowel
Ways alcohol causes cancer
Inside your body, ethanol (pure alcohol) is broken down into a toxic by-product called acetaldehyde. Ethanol and acetaldehyde damage cells by binding with DNA, leading to incorrect cell replication.
Acetaldehyde
Acetaldehyde is toxic and can cause permanent DNA damage, which can lead to cancer (for example, in the bowel) .
- The liver converts most of the ethanol in alcoholic beverages we consume into acetaldeyde. Small amounts of ethanol are also broken down in the mouth and stomach.
- If too much alcohol is consumed the body cannot process the acetaldehyde fast enough. Acetaldehyde then builds up in the body.
- Acetaldehyde build up can cause irreversible DNA damage, which can lead to cancer (for example, in the bowel).
Hormones
Drinking a lot of alcohol can increase circulating oestrogen levels
This increase could lead to breast cancer in women through:
- Abnormal development of breast tissue
- Increased cell production and rearrangement
- Increased DNA damage
The changes may also affect some trans and gender diverse people in terms of their cancer risk. Please talk with your GP or gender specialist for personalised advice.
Absorption
- Consuming a large amount of alcohol alters the cells in the mouth and throat (pharynx, larynx).
- Alcohol can act as a solvent, making it easier for other carcinogens such as tobacco to be absorbed into cells, leading to cancers of the mouth, throat and oesophagus.
