Overview
- Florida Atlantic University researchers synthesized 62 U.S.-based studies, published in Cancer Epidemiology, covering samples from 80 to nearly 100 million participants.
- Both how often people drink and how much they consume were tied to higher risk for breast, colorectal, liver, oral, laryngeal, esophageal, and gastric cancers.
- Greater risk was observed among African Americans, people with genetic predispositions, and individuals with obesity or diabetes, with socioeconomic factors shaping vulnerability.
- Several studies associated white wine or beer with higher risk while liquor often was not, frequent drinking raised risk in men, binge episodes were more concerning in women, and smoking compounded risks.
- Alcohol use was linked to worse clinical outcomes such as more advanced liver cancer and lower survival, while adherence to American Cancer Society guidance correlated with lower risk and mortality, prompting calls for stronger policies and targeted interventions.