Yes, Alcohol Causes Cancer — and That’s Just the Start

It’s undeniable that alcohol holds a special place in our culture. It can be romantic (a pair of stemmed wine-glasses over a cozy dinner for two), celebratory (a line of shots set up at a friend’s birthday party) or simply a regular social habit (a beer grabbed with colleagues after work).

At times, we’ve even been told that alcohol may have health benefits. Red wine, for instance, contains antioxidants — a fact many red-wine drinkers are quick to intone.

Unfortunately for wishful thinkers (and wishful drinkers), however, a recent U.S. Surgeon General Advisory points to a direct causal link between alcohol consumption and at least seven different types of cancer.

While higher rates of alcohol consumption are correlated with higher cancer risk, even one drink per week increased women’s risk of alcohol-related cancers by 16.5%, and men’s by 10.0%.

Or, as the World Health Organization states it, "when it comes to alcohol consumption, there is no safe amount that does not affect health."

How does alcohol damage human health?

The Surgeon General’s Advisory explains that there are four main ways in which alcohol causes cancer. These include:

The seven specific types of cancers alcohol has been causally linked to in this Advisory are mouth, throat, voice box, esophagus, breast, liver and colorectal cancers.

And that’s before factoring in the other ways in which alcohol has been correlated to human harms.

For example, the National Institutes of Health state that alcohol use disorder (AUD) is often comorbid with other mental health disorders, like anxiety and depression. Although the mental health issues could come before, after or simultaneously alongside a dependence on alcohol, over the long run, using alcohol as a coping mechanism can make mental health symptoms worse.

In addition, alcohol leads to thousands of preventable deaths every year in the form of drunk driving accidents. According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), about a third of traffic fatalities are the result of intoxicated drivers.

Alcohol isn’t just deadly: It’s expensive

Along with its incalculable cost in human lives and the emotional burden of alcohol-related illnesses, alcohol use can also have financial fallout — far beyond the price of settling up at the bar.

For those who are unfortunate enough to contract alcohol-related cancers, medical bills can be astronomical. According to the National Cancer Institute, the average cost of the initial phase of medical cancer care treatment is more than $43,000. Even with health insurance coverage for cancer, hundreds or thousands in hospital bills can come out of patients’ pockets.

In fact, one 2022 study found that cancer patients were 71% more likely than others to "experience a severe adverse financial event," including having bills in collections, seeing their vehicle repossessed or growing delinquent on their mortgage payments.

A cancer diagnosis can also make it more complicated and expensive to secure life insurance, which means it can have a financial ripple effect across the patient’s family.

While shopping around for health insurance or choosing the best Medicare plan for cancer coverage is one way to get ahead of such costs, another is to reduce habitual drinking — or even quit altogether. (And don’t worry: the antioxidants available in wine are also available in raw grapes, along with other fruits like blueberries.)

But for those who’ve developed a physical or emotional dependence on alcohol, "simply quitting" might not be so simple. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) offers a free and confidential helpline that can be a good first step, available 24 hours a day, 365 days per year. The phone number is 800-662-HELP (4357).

Mutual support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous can also be a great help for many. You can find a meeting near you, either in person or online, at aa.org.