Alcohol is a carcinogen. This means it causes cancer. Alcohol is 1 of the most preventable causes of cancer after smoking.
The less you drink, the lower your risk of developing alcohol-related cancer.
In Ireland, 1,000 people are diagnosed with alcohol-related cancers every year.
These include around:
- 400 bowel cancers
- 260 female breast cancers
Types of cancer caused by alcohol
Alcohol causes at least 7 types of cancer, including:
- breast
- liver
- bowel
- mouth
- throat
- larynx (voicebox)
- oesophagus (foodpipe)
How alcohol increases your risk of cancer
All types of alcoholic drinks, including beer, wine and spirits, increase your risk of cancer.
It is the alcohol in the drink that does the damage.
When alcohol is broken down in your body it is converted into a toxic chemical called acetaldehyde.
Acetaldehyde can:
- damage your DNA (genetic material in cells), and stop cells from repairing this damage
- increase the levels of some hormones such as oestrogen, which increases your risk of breast cancer
- makes it harder for your body to absorb nutrients that may protect you against cancer, such as vitamins A, C, D, E and folate
Alcohol is high in calories and can cause weight gain. Being overweight or having obesity can increase your risk of many cancers.
Alcohol increases your risk of developing mouth, throat and larynx (voicebox) cancer. Your risk is much higher if you drink and smoke.
How much alcohol increases your cancer risk
There is no safe level of drinking. Drinking even small amounts of alcohol increases your risk of cancer.
The more you drink, the greater your risk. But almost 1 in 7 cases of alcohol-related cancer is caused by light and moderate drinking. This is when you drink less than 2 standard drinks a day.
Nearly 1 in 2 cancers caused by light and moderate drinking are female breast cancers.
Cancer risk from alcohol varies for different parts of the body. The highest risk is for tissues that come into direct contact with alcohol, such as your mouth and throat.
What is a standard drink
A standard drink has 10g of pure alcohol.
This is usually around a:
- half a pint of beer
- single pub measure of a spirit
- small glass of wine
But some drinks are much stronger than others. Check the label if you are not sure.
Alcohol, smoking and cancer
Cigarette smoke contains over 70 cancer-causing chemicals.
Alcohol makes it easier for these harmful chemicals to enter the cells lining the:
- mouth
- throat
- larynx (voicebox)
- oesophagus (foodpipe)
This greatly increases the risk of cancer developing in these areas.
People who drink and smoke are 5 times more at risk of these cancers.
Non-urgent advice: Get help with problem alcohol use
For confidential advice, freephone 1800 459 459.
Cancer and young people
Your cancer risk increases when your cells are exposed to alcohol over a long period of time. The more your cells are exposed, the higher the risk.
If you start drinking at a young age, you have an increased chance of developing cancer in later years.
The risk of mouth, throat and bowel cancer is higher for young men and women who drink alcohol throughout their lifetime.
If you are diagnosed with an alcohol-related cancer, it is likely that you began drinking alcohol at least 15 to 20 years earlier.
Young women who drink through their teenage years and early 20s are at higher risk of developing breast cancer.
Alcohol and breast cancer
Alcohol can increase the levels of some hormones, such as oestrogen. This can lead to a higher risk of breast cancer. Alcohol can also increase your risk of breast cancer and other cancers by damaging DNA in cells.
Even drinking less than 2 standard drinks a day can increase the risk of breast cancer.
Around 1 in 13 breast cancer cases in Ireland are linked to alcohol.
You can reduce your risk of cancer if you do not drink alcohol. The less you drink, the lower your risk of cancer.
Non-urgent advice: Contact your GP if:
- you are worried about your drinking or you have any unusual or unexplained changes in your body