Why the Surgeon General says new warning labels needed on alcohol bottles

Alcohol consumption is the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the U.S.

WASHINGTON — Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released a new advisory on Friday describing the direct link between alcohol consumption and increased cancer risk. Alcohol consumption is the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the United States, after tobacco and obesity.

Research has proved that alcohol causes at least seven types of cancer. Despite this being known for decades, a recently published study found that more than 60% of Americans don’t know that alcohol causes cancer.

“Alcohol is a well-established, preventable cause of cancer responsible for about 100,000 cases of cancer and 20,000 cancer deaths annually in the United States – greater than the 13,500 alcohol-associated traffic crash fatalities per year in the U.S. – yet the majority of Americans are unaware of this risk,” said Dr. Murthy. “This Advisory lays out steps we can all take to increase awareness of alcohol’s cancer risk and minimize harm.”

The direct link between alcohol consumption and cancer risk is well-known for cancers of the breast, colorectum, esophagus, liver, mouth, throat, and voice box (larynx), regardless of the type of alcohol (e.g., beer, wine, and spirits) which is consumed. For breast cancer, 16.4% of total breast cancer cases are attributable to alcohol consumption.

An individual’s risk of developing cancer due to alcohol consumption is determined by a complex interaction of biological, environmental, social, and economic factors. There are four ways that alcohol can cause cancer:

1. Alcohol breaks down into a chemical called acetaldehyde, which damages DNA in multiple ways.
2. Alcohol induces oxidative stress, also damaging DNA, proteins, and cells, as well as increasing inflammation.
3. Alcohol alters levels of multiple hormones, including estrogen, which can increase the risk for breast cancer.
4. Alcohol alters cells in the mouth and throat, leading to greater absorption of carcinogens (cancer-causing agents) dissolved in the alcohol.

Cancer risk increases as alcohol consumption increases. For certain cancers, like breast, mouth, and throat cancers, evidence shows that the risk of developing cancer may start to increase with having one or fewer drinks per day.

In his Advisory, the Surgeon General makes recommendations to increase general awareness of the cancer risk, the goal being to minimize alcohol-related cancer cases and deaths. He advises updating the existing health warning label on alcohol-containing beverages.

In addition to calling for an update on the Surgeon General’s health warning label on alcohol-containing beverages to now include cancer risk, the advisory makes additional recommendations. It calls for reassessing the guidelines for limits for alcohol consumption to account for cancer risk. It also advises individuals to be aware of the relationship between alcohol consumption and increased cancer risk when considering whether or how much to drink.

Additionally, public health professionals and community groups should highlight alcohol consumption as a leading modifiable cancer risk factor. The Advisory also states that healthcare providers should inform patients in clinical settings about this cancer-alcohol link and promote the use of alcohol screening and treatment referrals as needed.

You can read the full Advisory here.