Why Does Alcohol Use Raise Cancer Risk?

Alcohol and Cancer

When you drink alcohol, your body breaks it down into a chemical called acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde damages your DNA and prevents your body from repairing the damage. DNA is the cell’s “instruction manual” that controls a cell’s normal growth and function. When DNA is damaged, a cell can begin growing out of control and create a cancer tumor.

The less alcohol you drink, the lower your risk for cancer. Drinking alcohol raises your risk of getting six kinds of cancer: mouth and throat, Voicebox (larynx), Esophagus, Colon and rectum, Liver, and Breast (in women).

All types of alcoholic drinks, including red and white wine, beer, cocktails, and liquor, are linked with cancer. The more you drink, the higher your cancer risk. CDC (2019), Alcohol and Cancer

Retrieved from

https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/alcohol/index.ht