Increased Alcohol Consumption Linked With Higher Cancer Risk
People who increase the amount of alcohol they drink also have an increased risk of cancer, according to a new study. The risk also increased for non-drinkers who changed their habits and became mild, moderate or heavy drinkers. This is another great example of how changing behavior could significantly decrease cancer deaths, Dr. William Dahut, chief scientific officer at the American Cancer Society. Quitting wasn’t associated with a lower incidence of alcohol related cancer. However, if abstinence was maintained over time, the incidence of alcohol-related cancers tended to decrease. Those who increased their drinking from being non-drinkers had a high incidence of stomach, liver, gallbladder and lung cancer. The American Cancer Society calls alcohol use "one of the most important preventable risk factors for cancer” Alcohol accounts for 4% of all cancer deaths in the US.
