Alcohol-related cancer deaths in US more than doubled over three decades, study finds

A study published in The Lancet Regional Health—Americas reveals that annual alcohol-attributable cancer deaths in the United States more than doubled over three decades, rising from 11,361 in 1990 to 23,126 in 2023. Led by researchers at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, the study highlights that risks extend far beyond liver cancer to breast, colorectal, and pancreatic cancers. Notably, consuming just one standard drink per day (14 grams of alcohol) can significantly elevate cancer risk.

Alcohol-attributable cancer mortality trends

• ▪The percentage of cancer deaths proportionally attributable to alcohol doubled in people aged 20 and older between 1990 and 2023.
• ▪Annual alcohol-attributable cancer deaths in the United States more than doubled over 33 years, rising from 11,361 in 1990 to 23,126 in 2023.

Cancer types linked to alcohol

• ▪Colorectal cancer was the leading cause of alcohol-attributable cancer mortality for men aged 20 to 54 and the second leading cause for women in that same age group.
• ▪Alcohol consumption is scientifically linked to an increased risk of death from breast, liver, colorectal, esophageal, pancreatic, prostate, stomach, and head and neck cancers.

Demographic mortality patterns

• ▪The alcohol-related cancer mortality rate among males aged 55 and older in the United States increased by nearly 24% between 1990 and 2023.
• ▪Among women aged 55 and older, breast cancer was the leading cause of alcohol-linked cancer mortality, followed by liver and colorectal cancers.
• ▪Men and adults aged 55 and older experienced the greatest burden of alcohol-related cancer deaths between 1990 and 2023.

Alcohol carcinogen classification

• ▪The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies alcohol as a Group 1 carcinogen, placing it in the same category as tobacco smoke and asbestos.
• ▪According to the National Cancer Institute, alcohol consumption accounted for approximately 5% of all diagnosed U.S. cancer cases and 4% of U.S. cancer deaths in 2019.

Low-dose consumption risks

• ▪The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines a standard drink in the United States as containing 0.6 ounces, or 14 grams, of pure alcohol.
• ▪Consuming as little as 5 to 15 grams of pure alcohol per day, which is equivalent to about one standard drink, is linked to an elevated risk of cancer.

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