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Alcohol consumption is linked to several types of cancer. It can damage cells directly, allowing harmful chemicals to penetrate and affect DNA.

Jan. 28, 2025

By Lydia Navarro-Roman, MD
WellMed at Gulfgate
Houston, Texas

Drinking alcohol has long been linked to a higher risk of getting cancer. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), any amount of alcohol consumption carries a risk. However, the more alcohol consumed, the higher the cancer risk.

Consumption level is key in determining risk. But harm can start with the first drink.

What is a standard drink?

Knowing what a standard drink is helps assess alcohol use and its risks. A standard drink in the United States contains about 14 grams of pure alcohol. This amount is found in:

  • 12 ounces of beer (with about 5% alcohol content)
  • 5 ounces of wine (with about 12% alcohol content)
  • 5 ounces of distilled spirits (such as vodka, whiskey, or rum, with about 40% alcohol content)

These standards make it easier to determine if someone drinks occasionally, moderately or heavily. For example, drinking two glasses of wine daily exceeds the moderate limit for women. This can increase the risk of certain cancers.

Levels of alcohol use

  • Occasional use: Defined as drinking alcohol infrequently, such as once or twice a month. Even at this level, alcohol can raise cancer risk, especially for breast cancer.
  • Moderate use: Generally refers to up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men. Moderate alcohol use can still contribute to cancers of the mouth, throat, liver, colon, and breast​.
  • Heavy use: Defined differently for men and women due to biological differences in how alcohol is processed. For women, heavy drinking is four or more drinks in a day or eight or more in a week. For men, it is defined as five or more drinks in a day or 15 or more in a week. Thresholds are lower for women because their bodies have less water than men’s, even at the same weight.

Where cancer may develop

Alcohol consumption is linked to several types of cancer. It can damage cells directly, allowing harmful chemicals to penetrate and affect DNA. Here are the most common types of cancer linked to alcohol use:

  • Mouth and throat cancer: Drinking alcohol, especially with smoking, dramatically increases the risk of cancers in the mouth, throat, and esophagus. Alcohol may help tobacco’s harmful chemicals penetrate the cells lining these areas. This reduces the body’s ability to repair DNA damage​.
  • Liver cancer: Consuming one alcoholic drink daily may raise liver cancer risk by 10%.
  • Breast cancer: Even occasional drinking can raise women’s estrogen levels. This may increase the risk of breast cancer. This risk is higher for those who drink regularly​.
  • Colorectal cancer: Alcohol raises colorectal cancer risk because it produces acetaldehyde, a carcinogen that can damage DNA. It also impairs folate absorption, which is crucial for DNA repair. Alcohol can inflame the colon and alter hormone levels, which can increase the risk of developing this type of cancer.

What If you’ve been a heavy drinker?

If someone was a heavy drinker but has since quit, their cancer risk may eventually decrease. That’s good news, even though the risk doesn’t decrease right away. It can take years, and evidence suggests that former heavy drinkers may still have a higher risk of cancer, even after quitting. This is true for cancers of the mouth, throat, and esophagus. Avoiding alcohol can have a positive long-term effect on reducing the risk of colon and breast cancers. Quitting also improves liver and heart health and can boost mental well-being.

Taking action for health

Reducing or eliminating alcohol use is key to lowering cancer risk. While it may take years for the cancer risk to decrease, it’s never too late to make healthier choices. There are other important steps to consider. Regular check-ups with your health care provider are also vital for early detection and prevention. Routine screenings, such as mammograms or colonoscopies, can detect cancer at an early stage. A balanced diet, more exercise and avoiding smoking can lower cancer risk. Promoting these lifestyle changes may help people control their health and reduce cancer’s impact.

Sources

  1. World Health Organization. (2023, January 4). No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health. World Health Organization. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/04-01-2023-no-level-of-alcohol-consumption-is-safe-for-our-health
  2. MD Anderson Cancer Center. (2017). Alcohol and breast cancer risk: What to know. MD Anderson Cancer Center.Retrieved from https://www.mdanderson.org/publications/focused-on-health/alcohol-breast-cancer-risk-what-to-know.h30Z1591413.html
  3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). About moderate alcohol use. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/about-alcohol-use/moderate-alcohol-use.html
  4. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (2024). The basics: Defining how much alcohol is too much. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Retrieved from https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/health-professionals-communities/core-resource-on-alcohol/basics-defining-how-much-alcohol-too-much
  5. National Cancer Institute. (2021). Alcohol and cancer risk. National Cancer Institute. Retrieved from https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/alcohol/alcohol-fact-sheet
  6. Chuang, S. C., Lee, Y. C. A., Wu, G. J., Straif, K., & Hashibe, M. (2015). Alcohol consumption and liver cancer risk: A meta-analysis. Cancer Causes & Control, 26(9), 1205-1231. Retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26134046/
  7. Rossi, M., Anwar, M. J., Usman, A., Keshavarzian, A., & Bishehsari, F. (2018). Colorectal cancer and alcohol consumption—Populations to molecules. Cancers, 10(2), 38. Retrieved from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5836070/#B7-cancers-10-00038
  8. Gapstur, S. M., Bouvard, V., Nethan, S. T., Freudenheim, J. L., Abnet, C. C., English, D. R., Rehm, J., & Lauby-Secretan, B. (2023). The IARC perspective on alcohol reduction or cessation and cancer risk. New England Journal of Medicine, 389(26), 2486-2494. Retrieved from https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMsr2306723
  9. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (n.d.). What is a standard drink? National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Retrieved from https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohols-effects-health/overview-alcohol-consumption/what-standard-drink

Dr. Navarro-Roman received her medical degree from National University of Colombia in Bogota, Colombia. She completed her residency at the University of Vermont in Burlington, Vermont and her postdoc at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, National Institute of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. Roman speaks English, Spanish and French fluently.

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