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Drinking alcohol increases your risk of cancer
Drinking and a timely reminder that dalcoholalcohol is a cause of cancer. There is
strong evidence that alcohol use increases the risk of cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx,
oesophagus, stomach, bowel, liver and breast cancers. It is estimated that anywhere between
2000 and 6500 new cases of cancer (or 1.9–5.8% of all cancers) are due to alcohol use each year
in Australia.
When it comes to cancer risk, there is
no safe level of alcohol consumption
. Even small amounts
of alcohol increase your risk of cancer. The more you drink and the more often you drink, the
greater your risk.
The world-leading cancer agency - the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) - has
classified alcoholic drinks and the chemical present in these drinks (ethanol) as a Group 1 car-
cinogen, the same classification as tobacco.
Other negative effects of alcohol
Drinking alcohol has a number of negative effects other than increasing cancer risk. Other health effects from risky alcohol drinking include dam-
age to the liver, heart and brain, high blood pressure and stroke, and risks to unborn babies. Drinking alcohol at a young age can affect brain
development and lead to alcohol-related problems in later life. Alcohol use may contribute to weight (fat) gain, and greater body fatness is a
convincing cause of cancers of the oesophagus, pancreas, gallbladder, stomach, bowel, endometrium, ovary, kidney, liver, breast (in post-
menopausal women) and prostate (advanced).
Smoking and alcohol
It has been known for a long time that smoking is harmful to health. The combined effects of smoking and alcohol greatly increase the risk of can-
cer (more so than from either of these factors alone). This is because alcohol makes it easier for the mouth and throat to absorb the cancer-
causing chemicals in tobacco. Up to 75 per cent of cancers of the upper airway and digestive tract can be related to alcohol plus smoking.
Sowhat should I do?
To reduce your cancer risk, Cancer Council WA recommends you limit how much alcohol you drink or better still, avoid drinking alcohol alto-
gether. If you choose to drink, it is recommended you drink within National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) guidelines, which
advise
no more than 2 standard drinks a day
(for men and women); avoid binge drinking (drinking more than 4 standard drinks on a single occa-
sion) and aim to have at least two alcohol-free days every week.
What is a standard drink?
One standard drink is equivalent to:
100ml wine
285ml (1 middy) of full strength beer
425ml (1 schooner) of low alcohol beer
30 mil (1 nip) spirits
Cocktails may contain more than three standard drinks!
Tips for drinking less
Setting limits for yourself and sticking to them
Aim to have at least 2 alcohol free days per week
Try refreshing non-alcoholic drinks – mineral water with lemon, lime and soda water etc
Try low alcohol or no-alcohol alternatives such as light beer or non-alcoholic beer
Use standard drinks to monitor how much alcohol you drink. By converting what you drink into standard drinks, it is easier to keep track.
Starting with non-alcoholic drinks and alternating with alcoholic drinks
Drink slowly – take sips and not gulps. Put your glass down between sips.
Avoid salty snacks – salty foods like chips make you thirsty, so you drink more.
Avoid ‘rounds’. Drink at your own pace, not someone else’s. If you do participate in rounds, include some non-
alcoholic drinks.
Eating before or while you are drinking. Eating slows your drinking pace and fills you up.
Finish one drink at a time: If people top up your drink it can be hard to keep track of how much alcohol you have consumed.