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SciPoll 724: Alcohol and cancer - are warnings helpful?

In your opinion, does alcohol consumption pose as large a risk of cancer as the Surgeon General's report indicates?

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(108 Answers)

Answer Explanations

  • No
    user-675225
    Poorly worded question.  It's not a large risk unless the consumption level is also large and chronic.  EVERYTHING has a safe, or virtually safe, dose--yes, even carcinogens (don't let the use of LNT mislead).  
  • Unsure
    user-287804
    I don't think alcohol has a large effect on cancer. I don't think it's necessary to add warning labels on alcohol containers.
  • Yes
    user-763749
    Expert insights are essential to guide the next steps. Public health campaigns must balance delivering clear, evidence-based messages with sensitivity to cultural contexts. Research is also needed to evaluate the effectiveness of health warnings and policy interventions in reducing alcohol consumption and related cancer risks.
  • Yes
    user-84005
    Alcohol is a major risk factor for many types of malignancies, especially cancers of GIT, RT and breast. Many scientific researches with large cohor samples, including large populations studies  and systematic reviews and meta-analyses, which show a clear link between how much alcohol a person drinks and their risk of getting cancer. Even drinking a small or moderate amounts can increase the risk, especially for breast and esophageal cancers.
  • Yes
    user-809621
    I am working in this area of research. Long term alcohol consumption leads to ferroptosis induced hepatic cancer. 
  • Yes
    user-412689
    IT´s relationated with orofacial neoplasms 
  • Yes
    user-381005
    Due to the risk of becoming addicted to alcohol and the concomitant high consumption there is a clear connection to cancer.
  • Yes
    user-188079
    Assoc w/ esoph and liver ca
  • Yes
    user-308918
    It is a preventable risk factor of head and neck cancer, esophageal cancer, pancreatic cancer, and liver cancer.
  • Yes
    user-318766
    Approximately 75,000 new cancer cases annually in the U.S. are attributed to alcohol. 
  • Unsure
    user-904601
    It is unclear what other confounding factors have been studied. In my opinion studies where data are aggregated and disaggregated to determine additional influencing factors are needed. The risk also seems to vary significantly depending on culture or country of origin. Also in terms of type of alcohol used, and how it is used. For this reason I'm unsure. I would need to see more studies appraising methodological quality of studies that have demonstrated significant findings. 
  • Yes
    user-433580
    Alcohol is definitely carcinogenic 
  • Yes
    user-753537
    Definitely yes! This is not new, WCRF also includes this as "strong evidence" in their guidelines for cancer prevention.  
  • Yes
    user-934201
    The data has become more clear in recent years, particularly for certain cancers (such as breast cancer). It should not be news that is has a direct effect on liver cancer. 
  • Yes
    user-553940
    Because alcohol consumption regularly can damage your DNA by increasing SCE aberations making a way for spontaneous mutation in some of the oncogenes.
  • Yes
    user-629527
    The Surgeon General's report points out that alcohol can increase the risk of certain cancers, and that’s backed by a lot of research. 
    Drinking alcohol, especially in large amounts or regularly, raises the risk for cancers like those of the mouth, liver, breast, and colon. Even drinking in moderation can still be risky, particularly for some types of cancer. 
    So while alcohol isn’t the only factor, it definitely plays a significant role in increasing cancer risk.
  • Yes
    user-857524
    In certain tumor types (head and neck for instance) there is direct evidence
  • Yes
    user-200555
    Alcohol has many drawbacks on hepatic performance which may have indirect effect on in carcinogenesis by either meta plasma or detoxification function of the liver
  • No
    user-777970
    What is the statistics of women developing breast cancer versus those that consume alcohol
  • Yes
    user-800651
    The Surgeon General's report is backed by robust evidence linking alcohol consumption to various cancers, including liver, breast, and colorectal cancers. Given the significant number of cases and deaths, the risk warrants heightened public awareness and policy intervention.
  • Yes
    user-979199
    I think the true risk of alcohol in the subsequent development of cancer is probably underestimated. The risk would depend on numerous factors such as the type of alcohol and the type of cancer associated and the amount alcohol consumption.
  • Yes
    user-981678
    Excess of anything is injurious to health. 
  • Yes
    user-262162
    Cirrhosis of liver
  • Yes
    user-102119
    There is a clear linkage between alcohol consumption and cancer risk. Among others, alcohol is capable of disrupting cell cycles, increase chronic inflammation, and damage DNA
  • No
    user-730223
    We ingest man y more dangerous chemicals through food and drink that we consume, and even the air that we breathe.  Alcohol does have some beneficial effect, if taken in moderation.
  • Yes
    user-565949
    There is good evidence to support this claim. 
  • Yes
    user-563888
    Consumption of alcohol is increasing in all countries even amongst the pregnant women. Overall effect of this practice on cancer has to be broadcast in all countries.
  • Unsure
    user-78454
    In moderation, no. In excess, yes. 
  • Yes
    user-282673
    It increases the oxidative stress.
  • Yes
    user-980513
    There are several studies that prove the link between alcohol and cancer. 
  • Unsure
    user-138399
    Unfortunately, several factors impact the risk for cancer. Genetic pre-disposition, lifestyle, drinking habits, diet and exercise.  Not that drinking is good but there are many daily life risk factors for cancer, and it would be interesting if data can be stratified based on criteria listed earlier. 
  • Yes
    user-958242
    E
  • Yes
    user-208334
    Large studies over several years now help quantify the risk. Dose/response is shown and the data are of high quality. The prevalence of alcohol intake is so high that intervention will likely make a difference in cancer rates.
  • Yes
    user-499948
    The mechanisms of action are all very valid, and the report issued by HHS has good statistical analysis.
  • Yes
    user-794571
    The Surgeon General's report highlights the link between alcohol consumption and various types of cancer, including breast, liver, and esophageal cancer. Research has shown that even moderate alcohol intake can increase the risk of cancer due to the production of acetaldehyde, a toxic byproduct of alcohol metabolism that can damage DNA. Additionally, alcohol can impair the body's ability to absorb essential nutrients, weaken the immune system, and disrupt hormone levels, further contributing to cancer risk. Given this evidence, it is reasonable to conclude that alcohol consumption does pose a significant risk of cancer, as indicated by the Surgeon General's report.
  • Yes
    user-327641
    Alcohol increase inflammation almost immediately, likely to also increase risk of cancer.
  • No
    user-120105
    When studies are based on surveys (rather than from direct observation, or other measurement) most people tell white lies, e.g., How many servings of vegetables do you eat in the average week? How many fast food meals do you eat in a week? How much exercise do you do per week? etc. They give an answer closer to what they believe the questioner wants to hear. Therefore, I believe all meta studies which include testimonial/survey type data are heavily flawed. However, if you do well controlled animal studies, using an omnivorous short lived animal you'll get true data for the species in question (and you can infer similar effects in other omnivorous animals, e.g., pigs, humans, primates etc., which would be far more expensive to conduct. Having said that, look at this sample of animal data. 
    https://sciencesources.eurekalert.org/news-releases/802841 
    Here you'll find the experimental data indicates a longer life span is achieved in the groups consuming moderate amounts of alcohol. This could of course be the result of hormesis
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hormesis
    http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/nietzsches-toxicology/
    Hormesis is a very real effect that I have personally observed on the growth rate of murine fibroblasts when exposed to very low levels of DNA damaging agents (which one would casually presume would block cellular growth; as they are designed to do). If only short term acute damage was studied in muscles given a single moderately intense weight training session in the untrained athlete, one would conclude that such training was very bad for muscles, however nothing could be further from the truth. Thus I am extremely skeptical of the Surgeon General's report. 

  • Yes
    user-110809
    Surgeon General has done a much more thorough examination of all the scientific literature than I could do (if I wanted to).
  • Yes
    user-711957
    There are clear evidences that made international organitions classify alcohol as carcinogenic. 
  • No
    user-489806
    No. Need more studies.
  • Yes
    user-904621
    Clinical studies suggest that alcohol consuming increase the incidence of different cancers. Eg liver, breast, esophagus
Results Home Next Result

Debate
(2 Comments)

0
user-94795
02/04/2025 12:24
Alcohol consumption is a well-established risk factor for multiple malignancies, as corroborated by extensive epidemiological and molecular studies. Ethanol metabolism leads to the formation of acetaldehyde, a recognized carcinogen that induces DNA damage, impairs DNA repair mechanisms, and promotes genomic instability. Furthermore, chronic alcohol intake contributes to oxidative stress, epigenetic modifications, and inflammation, all of which are implicated in tumorigenesis.

The association between alcohol and upper aerodigestive tract cancers (oropharyngeal, esophageal, and laryngeal cancers) is particularly strong, with synergistic effects observed when combined with tobacco use. Additionally, alcohol increases breast cancer risk via estrogenic pathway modulation and enhances hepatocarcinogenesis through liver cirrhosis and chronic inflammation.

While the dose-response relationship suggests higher cancer risk with excessive alcohol consumption, even moderate intake has been linked to increased cancer susceptibility. However, individual susceptibility factors—including genetic polymorphisms in ALDH2 and ADH1B, dietary influences, and co-exposures—may modulate risk, necessitating further stratified research.
0
user-956268
02/11/2025 10:10
Alcohol consumption is a significant risk factor for cancer. It has been linked to cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, breast, and colon. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classify alcohol as a Group 1 carcinogen, meaning there is clear evidence that it causes cancer in humans.

The risk depends on factors such as dose, frequency, and individual susceptibility. The association between alcohol and cancer is well-established, but public perception often underestimates this risk compared to other known carcinogens like tobacco.

Alcohol-related cancer risk follows a dose-dependent relationship. Even moderate drinking increases the risk, particularly for breast and esophageal cancer. Heavy drinking significantly raises the risk, especially for liver and head and neck cancers.

Alcohol contributes to cancer through several mechanisms. Acetaldehyde, a toxic metabolite of alcohol, damages DNA. Alcohol also increases hormone levels, such as estrogen, which is linked to breast cancer. It weakens immune function and promotes inflammation, both of which contribute to cancer development.

Compared to smoking, alcohol poses a lower overall cancer risk, but consuming both alcohol and tobacco together exponentially increases the likelihood of cancer. Unlike smoking, there is no completely safe level of alcohol consumption when it comes to cancer risk, though the risk increases with higher intake.

Public awareness of the link between alcohol and cancer is relatively low. Many people are unaware of this connection compared to the well-known risks of smoking or obesity. Alcohol-related cancer deaths may also be underreported, contributing to the underestimation of risk.



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