Alcohol-Related Cancer Deaths Double in 33 Years
Alcohol-related cancer deaths in the United States have more than doubled over the past three decades, according to new research highlighting the growing connection between alcohol consumption and cancer mortality.
The study found that annual alcohol-attributable cancer deaths increased from 11,361 in 1990 to 23,126 in 2023. Researchers said the burden was particularly high among men and adults age 55 and older, although the impact was also evident among younger adults and across several different types of cancer.
The findings add to a growing body of evidence challenging the idea that alcohol-related health risks are primarily associated with heavy drinking or liver disease. Researchers say alcohol can contribute to cancers affecting the breast, colorectum, esophagus, liver and several areas of the head and neck.
For some people, the new findings may be especially important because cancer risk can increase even at relatively low levels of alcohol consumption.
Alcohol-Related Cancer Deaths Have More Than Doubled
The research, led by scientists at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami, analyzed more than three decades of data from the Global Burden of Disease study.
Researchers estimated that the number of alcohol-attributable cancer deaths in the US rose from 11,361 in 1990 to 23,126 in 2023.
That represents more than a doubling over the 33-year period.
The researchers also examined trends by cancer type, age, sex and geographic location. While the overall number of deaths increased substantially, the pattern was not identical across every population.
Men experienced a particularly large burden of alcohol-attributable cancer mortality. Adults aged 55 and older also accounted for a major share of deaths.
However, the researchers said the effects of alcohol were not restricted to older Americans.
Among adults ages 20 to 54, colorectal cancer was the leading alcohol-attributable cause of cancer death among men. Among women in that age group, breast cancer ranked first, followed by colorectal cancer.
Alcohol and Cancer Risk Extend Beyond the Liver
For decades, alcohol consumption has been strongly associated with liver disease and liver cancer.
But researchers say focusing only on the liver can give consumers an incomplete picture of alcohol’s potential health effects.
Alcohol has been classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, meaning there is sufficient evidence that it causes cancer in humans.
According to the World Health Organization, alcohol is associated with cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, breast, liver and colorectum. Both ethanol and acetaldehyde, a substance produced when the body breaks down alcohol, play important roles in the carcinogenic process.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also states that all types of alcoholic beverages can increase cancer risk. That includes beer, wine and spirits.
The CDC emphasizes that drinking less alcohol is generally better for health than drinking more.
Even One Drink a Day Can Matter
One of the most striking aspects of the latest research is the attention given to lower levels of drinking.
The CNN report highlighted evidence that having one standard alcoholic drink every day may increase the risk of dying from several cancers. The concern is not that one drink guarantees cancer, but that regular alcohol exposure can gradually increase risk.
Cancer risk is influenced by many factors, including age, genetics, tobacco use, body weight, infections, environmental exposures and lifestyle.
Alcohol is therefore only one piece of a much larger picture.
Still, health organizations increasingly emphasize that there is no completely risk-free level of alcohol consumption when cancer is the specific concern.
The WHO says even relatively small amounts of alcohol can increase the risk of several alcohol-related cancers. It also notes that the risk generally rises as alcohol consumption increases.
This distinction is important.
A person who drinks occasionally does not have the same level of exposure as someone who drinks heavily every day. However, the absence of heavy drinking does not mean there is zero cancer risk associated with alcohol.
Breast Cancer Is a Major Concern
Breast cancer represents one of the most important connections between alcohol and cancer, particularly among women.
The latest US study found that breast cancer was the leading alcohol-attributable cause of cancer death among women overall and among women ages 20 to 54.
Alcohol can influence hormone levels, including estrogen, which is relevant to some breast cancers. Researchers have also identified other biological mechanisms through which alcohol may contribute to cancer development.
Because breast cancer is common, even a relatively modest increase in individual risk can translate into a significant number of cases and deaths at the population level.
That is one reason experts increasingly include alcohol consumption when discussing cancer prevention.
Colorectal Cancer Is Drawing Attention
The study also points to colorectal cancer as an important alcohol-related threat.
Among men ages 20 to 54, colorectal cancer was the leading alcohol-attributable cause of cancer death. It was also the second-leading cause among women in the same age group.
That finding is notable because colorectal cancer has become an increasing concern among younger adults.
Alcohol is not necessarily responsible for every case of colorectal cancer, and the study does not establish that drinking directly caused an individual’s cancer.
Instead, population-level research estimates how much cancer mortality can be attributed to alcohol based on established relationships between exposure and disease.
Still, the findings reinforce why alcohol should be considered alongside other modifiable risk factors.
How Alcohol Can Contribute to Cancer
Scientists have identified several mechanisms that may explain the connection between alcohol and cancer.
When the body metabolizes ethanol, it produces acetaldehyde. This chemical can damage DNA and interfere with normal cellular processes.
Alcohol can also contribute to oxidative stress and inflammation. In addition, it may affect hormone levels and interfere with the body’s ability to absorb or process certain nutrients.
The WHO notes that alcohol-related cancer development can involve DNA damage, oxidative stress, hormonal changes and alterations to the gut microbiome.
These mechanisms help explain why alcohol can influence multiple organs rather than affecting only the liver.
Smoking can make the situation even more concerning.
Alcohol and tobacco exposure together can increase the risk of certain cancers of the mouth, throat, larynx and esophagus. That interaction is one reason reducing both exposures can be particularly important for cancer prevention.
The Biggest Risk Is Not the Same for Everyone
The new findings do not mean that every drinker faces the same cancer risk.
Cancer risk varies considerably from one person to another.
Age, sex, genetics, family history, smoking, drinking patterns, underlying medical conditions and other lifestyle factors can all influence an individual’s overall risk.
The researchers nevertheless found clear population-level patterns.
Older adults experienced the greatest overall alcohol-attributable cancer burden. Among older men, liver cancer had the highest alcohol-attributable mortality rate, followed by esophageal and colorectal cancers.
Among women, breast cancer was the leading source of alcohol-attributable cancer mortality.
These differences demonstrate why public health messaging cannot rely on a single cancer or demographic group.
Alcohol-Related Cancer Deaths Vary Across the US
The research also found substantial geographic differences.
In 2023, Washington, D.C., had the highest alcohol-attributable cancer mortality rate among US jurisdictions, while Utah recorded the lowest, according to reporting on the study.
Differences between states can reflect many factors.
Alcohol consumption patterns, population demographics, smoking rates, access to health care, screening, socioeconomic conditions and other risk factors can all influence cancer mortality.
Therefore, geographic comparisons should not be interpreted as proving that alcohol alone caused differences between states.
Instead, they provide another way for researchers to identify population-level patterns that may deserve further investigation.
What the Study Does — and Does Not — Prove
The new findings are significant, but they should be interpreted carefully.
The researchers used data from the Global Burden of Disease study to estimate alcohol-attributable cancer mortality. This type of analysis is designed to understand population-level trends rather than determine exactly what caused cancer in a specific individual.
In other words, the research does not mean that every person who drinks alcohol will develop cancer.
It also does not mean that an individual who has one drink occasionally has the same risk as someone consuming large quantities of alcohol.
Instead, the study adds to existing evidence showing that alcohol is a modifiable risk factor for several cancers.
The researchers described the breadth of alcohol’s potential impact across cancer types as an important finding, particularly because many people may associate alcohol-related cancer primarily with liver disease.
Should People Stop Drinking Alcohol?
For people concerned about cancer prevention, reducing alcohol consumption is one potential risk-reduction strategy.
The WHO states that reducing or stopping alcohol consumption lowers the risk of developing alcohol-related cancers.
That does not mean everyone needs to make the same decision.
Someone who currently drinks heavily may benefit from reducing consumption, while someone who drinks occasionally may decide to drink less frequently or stop altogether.
People who are concerned about their alcohol use should discuss their situation with a qualified health professional, particularly if they drink heavily or have concerns about withdrawal.
The important message from the research is that alcohol consumption is not a neutral factor when it comes to cancer risk.
A Changing Understanding of Alcohol and Wellness
For years, conversations about alcohol and health often focused on moderation and questions about whether certain drinks might have benefits.
The cancer evidence has shifted that conversation.
Health authorities now increasingly emphasize that alcohol itself is a carcinogenic exposure and that the cancer risk does not disappear simply because the beverage is wine, beer or liquor.
The CDC states that all alcoholic drinks can increase cancer risk.
Meanwhile, the WHO continues to emphasize that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption specifically in relation to cancer risk.
The latest US mortality study adds another dimension by showing how the population-level burden has changed over time.
From 11,361 alcohol-attributable cancer deaths in 1990 to 23,126 in 2023, the numbers illustrate why researchers are calling greater attention to alcohol as a potentially preventable cancer risk factor.
What People Can Take Away
The central message is straightforward: alcohol can contribute to cancer, and the risk is not limited to heavy drinkers or liver cancer.
The latest research found that alcohol-attributable cancer deaths in the United States more than doubled between 1990 and 2023. The burden affected multiple cancer types and age groups, with particularly important patterns involving breast, colorectal, liver and esophageal cancers.
For individuals, reducing alcohol consumption can be one practical step toward lowering alcohol-related health risks.
For health professionals and policymakers, the findings highlight the importance of making alcohol’s cancer risks more widely understood.
Cancer prevention is never about one behavior alone. But as the evidence continues to accumulate, alcohol consumption is becoming harder to overlook as part of the broader conversation about long-term health and cancer prevention.
