If You Drink Alcohol, Are You More Susceptible to Certain Types of Cancer?

Many of us enjoy beer, wine, and cocktails as part of our day-to-day activities. With dinner, out with friends, celebrating special occasions — alcohol is often a part of it. But you may not think about how it can negatively affect your health, especially if you don’t drink very much.

Despite being a regular part of our culture, alcohol can have serious health effects. It can increase your risk for certain types of cancer — even if consumed in small amounts. Keep reading to find out more about the link between alcohol and cancer, and what it means for your health.

What’s the relationship between alcohol and cancer?

When you drink alcohol, you may not think of it as toxic. And you’re not alone: Most people in the U.S. underestimate some of alcohol’s health risks.

But it’s actually a known carcinogen. This means alcohol can cause cancer in humans. Roughly 6% of cancer deaths in the U.S. are due to alcohol. It increases the risk of several types of cancer, including the following:

• Head and neck cancers: These include cancers of the mouth, throat, and voice box. Alcohol comes in direct contact with these parts of the body when you drink it and can damage the cells there. Heavy drinkers (see definitions below) have over 5 times the risk of mouth and throat cancers compared to nondrinkers. Using alcohol and tobacco together increases the risk of cancer more than using either one alone. 

• Esophageal cancer: This risk increases with even light amounts of drinking, but heavy drinkers are at greater risk. They have about 5 times the risk of getting it compared to nondrinkers. 

• Liver cancer: Alcohol damages the liver, causing scarring and cirrhosis. This liver damage can then lead to cancer. Even one drink per day can increase the risk compared to nondrinkers, but the risk is greater for heavier drinkers.

• Breast cancer: Moderate drinkers have a 7% to 10% higher risk compared with nondrinkers. This is likely due to multiple pathways in the body.

• Colorectal cancer: Heavy drinkers have nearly 1.5 times the risk of colorectal cancer compared to nondrinkers. This is likely due to direct toxic effects of alcohol on the colon, damaging byproducts, and lifestyle factors.

There may be a link between pancreatic cancer risk and alcohol as well, but this risk is not as well understood yet. It may be that heavy drinking leads to inflammation in the pancreas (pancreatitis), which increases the risk for pancreatic cancer.

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How does alcohol increase your risk of cancer?

There are a few ways alcohol may increase your cancer risk based on how it affects your body after you drink it.

• Drinking alcohol can produce more carcinogens. Alcohol breaks down into another human carcinogen, acetaldehyde, which has been shown to cause cancer in lab animals.

• Alcohol can increase levels of estrogen in the blood. Higher estrogen levels can increase the risk of breast cancer in women.

• Alcohol and acetaldehyde damage the body’s DNA, proteins, and fats. This can interrupt the normal way your body functions on a microscopic, cellular level. And this makes it more likely for an abnormal process like cancer to take over. 

• Alcohol may lead to decreased absorption of important vitamins like A, B complex, C, D, and E. This may play a role in cancer risk.

• Drinking alcohol can contribute to weight gain and obesity, which can also increase the risk of certain cancers. 

Can all alcoholic drinks cause cancer? 

Yes. When it comes to alcoholic drinks, the type of drink doesn’t matter. Although the amount can vary from drink to drink, they all contain alcohol. And it’s the alcohol that increases the risk for cancer. 

However, some drinks contain more alcohol than others depending on the type and size. In the U.S., a standard drink has 0.6 oz or 1.2 tbsp of pure alcohol. This is equal to the amount of alcohol found in:

• One 12 oz beer (about 5% alcohol)

• One 5 oz glass of wine (about 12% alcohol)

• 1.5 oz of 80-proof liquor (about 40% alcohol)

• 8 oz to 10 oz of malt liquor or hard seltzer (about 7% alcohol)

It’s important to remember that serving sizes may vary depending on whether you’re making your own drinks or buying them at a bar or restaurant. A glass of wine may be more than 5 oz, for example, and a single cocktail may contain more than 1.5 oz of liquor depending on who makes it.

What about red wine and its health benefits?

Red wine has been called “good for your health” because it contains antioxidants called polyphenols, like resveratrol. Red wine has been linked to a decreased risk of heart disease, but more research on the topic has shown conflicting results. The benefits have been hard to prove consistently. It turns out red wine might not be as healthy as once thought.

It’s important to remember that all alcohol can increase the risk for certain cancers. This includes the alcohol found in red wine. If you do drink red wine, drink it in moderation. If you’re not already a wine drinker, consider not starting for any perceived health benefits.   

Does it matter how much alcohol you drink?

When it comes to cancer risk, no amount of alcohol is considered safe or healthy. Drinking more alcohol over longer periods of time is very clearly associated with an increased cancer risk. Even having 1 drink per day or less is associated with an increased risk of esophageal, breast, and mouth and throat cancer. In fact, the American Cancer Society (ACS) says it’s best to not drink any alcohol at all. 

But, if you do drink, it’s best to keep the amount as low as possible. Moderate intake is defined as 2 drinks per day for men and 1 drink per day for women (the difference is because women process alcohol differently).

Does quitting alcohol reduce cancer risk?

Yes. Eliminating alcohol from your diet can help reduce your cancer risk, but it doesn’t happen right away. It can take several years for the risk to return to that of a nondrinker. For example, for cancers of the head and neck and esophagus, it may take 20 years or more. 

But don’t let this discourage you from cutting down or quitting. There are also other potential benefits to limiting or eliminating alcohol. Some people have explored these benefits as part of the sober curious movement by taking breaks from drinking.

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Written by:

Sarah Pozniak, MD

Sarah Pozniak, MD, has 9 years of experience since graduating medical school (6 since completing residency). She is a board-certified general internal medicine physician and has practiced as a primary care physician in both Utah and Washington, D.C. Currently, she cares for patients with chronic illnesses such as diabetes and high blood pressure using telemedicine as part of a virtual care program.

Edited by:

Sophie Vergnaud, MD

Sophie Vergnaud, MD, is the Senior Medical Director for GoodRx Health. An experienced and dedicated pulmonologist and hospitalist, she spent a decade practicing and teaching clinical medicine at academic hospitals throughout London before transitioning to a career in health education and health technology.

Reviewed by:

Mandy Armitage, MD

Mandy Armitage, MD, has combined her interests in clinical medicine with her passion for education and content development for many years. She served as medical director for the health technology companies HealthLoop (now Get Well) and Doximity.

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