Drinking Alcohol Causes Several Cancer-Related Deaths Each Year, Remains Ignored For Its Health Risks

According to a study conducted at the Boston University, almost 3.5 percent of deaths related to cancer is due to the consumption of alcohol, with breast cancer being the most prevalent.

 

The results of this study, which was published in the American Journal of Public Health, reads, “Alcohol remains a major contributor to cancer mortality and YPLL [years of potential life lost]. Higher consumption increases risk but there is no safe threshold for alcohol and cancer risk. Reducing alcohol consumption is an important and underemphasized cancer prevention strategy.”

 

As mentioned earlier, one of the most common types of cancer associated with alcohol is breast cancer in women, which make up for almost 55 to 65 percent of deaths due to cancer every year. As for men, almost 53 to 71 percent of deaths due to alcohol consumption is due to upper airway or esophageal cancer.

 

Despite the World Health Organization considering alcohol to be the most carcinogenic substance ever, and causing cancer of the mouth, liver and throat, people still tend to ignore the health risks associated with alcohol.

 

The study also reveals that even ‘drinking moderately’ could lead to cancer, and alcohol, on an average, reduces the lifespan of an individual by 18 years in all.

 

Finally, another statistics that was revealed through the study’s findings was that almost 26 to 35 percent of all cancer deaths were due to drinking up to 20 grams of alcohol every day, which can calculated as 17 ounces of beer, 7 ounces of wine, 11.2 ounces of malt liquor or 2.1 ounces of distilled liquor.