Even Light Alcohol Consumption Might Increase Cancer Risk

Even light to moderate alcohol consumption is associated with elevated cancer risks, reports a new study in Japan. The findings of the study are published in the journal Cancer. In the study, the overall cancer risk appeared to be the lowest at zero alcohol consumption. The elevated risk appeared to be explained by alcohol-related cancer risk across relatively common sites, including the colorectum, stomach, breast, prostate, and esophagus.

"In Japan, the primary cause of death is cancer," said one of the researchers Masayoshi Zaitsu from The University of Tokyo. "Given the current burden of overall cancer incidence, we should further encourage promoting public education about alcohol-related cancer risk," Zaitsu said.

The team examined clinical data on 63,232 patients with cancer and 63,232 controls matched for sex, age, hospital admission date, and admitting hospital. The data was gathered from 33 general hospitals in Japan.

All participants reported their average daily amount of standardized alcohol units and the duration of drinking.

One standardized drink containing 23 grams of ethanol was equivalent to one 180-ml cup of Japanese sake, one 500-ml bottle of beer, one 180-ml glass of wine, or one 60-ml cup of whiskey.

The researchers found an almost linear association between cancer risk and alcohol consumption.

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Those who drank two or fewer drinks a day had an elevated cancer risk regardless of how long they had consumed alcohol. Also, analyses classified by sex, drinking/smoking behaviors, and occupational class mostly showed the same patterns.

Source-IANS