Even a daily drink is linked to higher death risk from multiple cancers, study finds

A Lancet Regional Health – Americas study using over 30 years of US data found that about one standard drink per day raises the share of cancer deaths attributable to alcohol, with the risk spanning at least 10 cancers (including breast, liver, colorectal, stomach, pancreatic, and head-and-neck cancers). The impact varies by age and sex—older men showed strong links to liver and esophageal cancers, while breast cancer was prominent among women. Mechanisms include hormonal changes, acetaldehyde DNA damage, oxidative stress, and nutrient disruption. The authors urge reducing alcohol as much as possible to lower cancer mortality risk.