THIS ARTICLE IS HERE republished from Conversation under a Creative Commons License.
It was once believed that a little alcohol was good for you. However, as scientific research progresses, we are gaining a clearer picture of alcohol’s effects on health, especially in the case of cancer.
The sophisticated relationship between alcohol and cancer was recently highlighted in the article: A new report from the American Association for Cancer Research. The report’s findings are eye-opening.
The report’s authors estimate that 40 percent of all cancer cases involve “modifiable risk factors,” or in other words, things we can change. Alcohol consumption dominates among them.
Six types of cancer are associated with alcohol consumption: head and neck cancer, esophageal cancer, liver cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer and stomach cancer.
The statistics are sobering. In 2019, more than one in 20 cancer diagnoses in the West were attributed to alcohol consumption, and this number is increasing over time. This figure challenges and continues the common perception of alcohol as a harmless social lubricant several well carried out studies linking alcohol consumption with cancer risk.
But it’s not only about the present, but also about the future. The report highlights a disturbing trend: rising rates of certain cancers among younger adults. It’s a plot twist that researchers like me are still trying to understand, but alcohol consumption is emerging as a potential leader on the list of causes.
The increasing incidence is of particular concern early onset colorectal cancer among adults under 50 years of age. The report notes annual growth of 1.9% between 2011 and 2019.
Although the exact reasons for this trend are still under investigation, research consistently shows an association between habitual and regular drinking in early and middle adulthood and a higher risk of colorectal cancer. later in life. But it’s also critical to realize that this story is not a tragedy.
It is more of a cautionary tale that may have an hopeful ending. Unlike many cancer risk factors, alcohol consumption is one we can control. Reducing or eliminating alcohol consumption can lower your risk, giving you strength in the face of an often unpredictable disease.
The relationship between alcohol and cancer risk is essentially a dose-response relationship, which simply means that higher levels of consumption are associated with greater risk. Even lithe or moderate drinking is associated with an increased risk of certain cancers, especially breast cancer.
However, it is critical to remember that although alcohol increases the risk of cancer, it does not mean that everyone who drinks will develop cancer. Many factors influence the development of cancer.
It destroys DNA
The story does not end with these numbers. It extends to the very cells of our body, where alcohol’s journey begins. When we drink, our body breaks down alcohol into acetaldehydea substance that can damage our DNA, the pattern of our cells. This means that alcohol can potentially rewrite our DNA and cause so-called changes mutationswhich in turn can cause cancer.
The story becomes more sophisticated when we consider the different ways alcohol interacts with our bodies. It can impair the absorption of nutrients and vitamins, alter hormone levels, and even make it easier for harmful chemicals to enter the cells in the mouth and throat. It can affect the bacteria in our gut, the so-called microbiome, which we live with and which is critical to us health AND well-being.