Summary
- A report by the US Surgeon General recommended that labels on alcoholic beverages should warn about the risk of cancer.
- The doctors agreed.
- For those wondering about the long-term harms of drinking and whether there is a safe limit, experts think you should know.
Doctors applauded on Friday. A new report by the US Surgeon General who highlights the links between alcohol consumption and seven types of cancer and suggests that alcoholic beverages Come with cancer warning labels.
The link between alcohol and cancer is well established, and many doctors have long called on the federal government to clarify the link to the public.
“For years, the AMA has said that alcohol consumption at any level, not just heavy alcohol consumption or alcoholic beverages, is a modifiable risk factor for cancer,” American Medical Association President Bruce Scott said in a statement. There is a risk factor.” “And yet, despite decades of overwhelming evidence of this connection, many in the public are unaware of the dangers of alcohol.”
In the new report, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy outlines the scientific evidence linking alcohol to cancer and offers recommendations for reducing alcohol-related cancer rates. In addition to recommending warning labels on alcoholic beverages, Murthy suggests re-examining the recommended limits for alcohol consumption in the United States.
Six in 10 American adults report that they drink.But several doctors told NBC News that their patients are often unaware that alcohol consumption can lead to cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, larynx, liver, breast and colon. .
“We haven’t done a good job with public health messages about alcohol in the United States,” said Dr. Rutonia Carr, head of gastroenterology at the University of Washington.
The new report may raise questions about the long-term harms of drinking for some people, safe limits and reversing the negative health effects. Here’s what medical experts across the country think people should know.
Is any level of drinking safe?
The World Health Organization says there is. There is no safe amount of alcohol consumption. As alcohol is broken down in the body, it can damage DNA and proteins in a way that can lead to the development of cancer. It can also alter hormone levels and make it easier for the body to absorb other carcinogens such as tobacco smoke, thereby increasing the risk of breast, mouth or throat cancer.
“The safest thing for all kinds of health outcomes, not just cancer, is not drinking alcohol,” said Paul Gilbert, an associate professor at the University of Iowa College of Public Health. “But, of course, many people don’t go that route, because alcohol is such an important, central part of our social and cultural rituals.”
The health risks from drinking are less if you drink less and more if you drink more. A 2020 study found that in women, The risk of developing alcohol-related cancer in one’s lifetime 17% for those who drink less than one drink per week, but 22% for those who drink two drinks per day. For men, the risks were 10% and 13%, respectively.
How does drinking alcohol compare to other factors that increase cancer risk?
According to the Surgeon General’s report, alcohol is the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the United States, behind tobacco and obesity. It is estimated that alcohol causes about 100,000 cases of cancer and about 20,000 cancer deaths annually.
WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer Classifies alcohol as a “Group 1” carcinogen.That is, there is ample evidence that it can cause cancer in humans. Other carcinogens in this group include tobacco, asbestos and radiation.
Given that, Carr said, people should be as concerned about the health risks of drinking alcohol as they are about smoking.
Can someone reverse the damage if they stop drinking?
Compared to smoking, doctors said, there has been less research on how long it takes to see a reduction in cancer risk after a person quits smoking. (The study estimated that people who quit smoking 10 years ago Half the risk of dying from lung cancer to someone who currently smokes.)
While some research has found that a A month of peace — a dry January, say — can lead to weight loss and improvements in blood pressure and cholesterol levels, the story is less optimistic when it comes to cancer risk, Carr said. He noted that it could take At least 20 years after a person stops drinking alcohol. Their risk of liver cancer is the same as that of a person who abstains from alcohol.
“Alcohol causes damage at the cellular level,” she said. “This damage can sometimes be reversed, but over a very long period of time.”
Dr. Frances Lee, a hepatologist at Mount Sinai in New York, said many factors can affect the extent to which a person can see benefits from cutting back on their drinking, including family history.
“For someone who’s been drinking a lot of alcohol, there’s a lot of potential for DNA damage,” he said. “If there is a history of certain cancers, they may not eliminate that risk.”
What about the US Dietary Guidelines for Alcohol?
Current Recommend instructions No more than one drink per day for women and no more than two drinks per day for men, based on an overall assessment of the health risks associated with alcohol. According to A study last year83% of annual alcohol-related cancer deaths could be prevented if adults reduced their consumption within these limits.
However, the guidelines also point to “emerging evidence” that drinking even within recommended limits may increase the overall risk of cancer, heart disease or death.
The guidelines are set to be updated this year, so Murthy’s suggestion that alcohol limits be re-evaluated could trigger that process. An upcoming report from a group within the Department of Health and Human Services will also likely report an update.
Last year, Canada issued new guidance stating that no amount of alcohol is unhealthy.
What about the research that alcohol has health benefits?
There are some studies over the years Pointed to potential health benefits By drinking in moderation. That includes research showing that antioxidants in red wine may improve heart health, and a December report from the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine that says moderate alcohol consumption Have to drink. Associated with a lower risk of death Instead of abstaining from alcohol.
However, many doctors and scientists are not sure.
“Potentially, there has been a lot of talk over the years about the benefits of red wine. Many of these things have been difficult to confirm in further studies,” said Dr. William Dahit, chief scientific officer of the American Cancer Society. said
Experts say that even if drinking has some health benefits, it will outweigh the risks.
“I don’t think you’ll ever find a doctor who says to a patient, ‘You don’t drink at all. Go ahead and have two glasses a night,'” Lee said.
Are some types of alcohol better than others?
Doctors say it’s most important to pay attention to the amount or concentration of alcohol, as opposed to whether it’s wine, beer or liquor, because the alcohol molecules themselves are responsible for increasing a person’s risk of cancer.
Several experts also cautioned that it’s not always easy to tell how much alcohol is in a drink.
Dr. Kenneth Nahum, an oncologist at Hackensack-Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center, said that spiked seltzer and tea in particular — which have become popular among young people — can be deceiving in terms of alcohol content.
“They’re drinking it like it’s a soft drink,” he said. “They don’t even realize they’re drinking that much.”
Will the Surgeon General’s warning matter?
Gilbert said it’s unlikely people will immediately change their drinking habits after Friday’s report, but noted that it could eventually lead to changes in how people think about their risk. How do you understand?
“This advisory is just a good step in getting the word out so that everyone can be better informed and make the best choices for themselves,” he said.
Already, adults under 35 are less likely to drink alcohol than that group was decades ago. 2023 analysis. However, alcohol consumption has increased among those 55 and older. Experts suggest that young adults may socialize less personally than previous generations, or simply prefer other substances.
“Some people are drinking less, and that may be because vaping and edibles are more available,” said Elizabeth Kovacs, a professor of surgery at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.