• April 2025 Newsletter: Alcohol and Cancer

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Alcohol and Cancer Risk

April is Alcohol Awareness Month, making it a great time to focus on alcohol education and consider the serious consequences of alcohol abuse.

Although many people may be aware of the dangers of drinking during pregnancy, binge drinking, driving under the influence of alcohol, or alcoholic liver damage, not everyone may know that consuming alcohol is actually a leading preventable cause of cancer. The risk of developing cancer increases with higher levels of alcohol consumption.

At Health Edco we specialize in a wide range of engaging alcohol education materials, activities, and teaching tools that present the negative health consequences and social outcomes of alcohol misuse and abuse, including cancer.

Read more about the connection between alcohol and cancer, and discover some of our educational resources that are perfect to discuss the connection between certain forms of cancer and alcohol as well as recommended alcohol limits.






What Forms of Cancer Are Associated With Alcohol Use?

As covered in our Effects & Hazards of Alcohol Folding Display, consuming alcohol is strongly associated with multiple cancers, including cancers of the:

  • Mouth
  • Pharynx
  • Larynx
  • Esophagus
  • Breast (in women)
  • Liver
  • Colon and Rectum

Worldwide, it is estimated that more than 740,000 cases of cancer were attributed to the consumption of alcohol in 2020. In the United States, it is estimated that drinking alcohol contributes to approximately 20,000 cancer deaths each year.

For women, level of alcohol consumption is considered a breast cancer risk factor within a woman’s control (versus risk factors beyond a woman’s control, such as her age, personal or family medical history of breast cancer, history of radiation treatment, or genetic predisposition for breast cancer).

In our product section dedicated to women’s health, our breast health education and breast cancer awareness products (including our Breast Care Booklet and Breast Care Folding Display) explain that a woman’s risk for breast cancer increases with higher levels of alcohol consumption.


How Does Alcohol Increase Cancer Risk?

Alcohol is thought to cause cancer in several ways, including:

  • The alcohol in all alcoholic drinks contains ethanol. The body breaks ethanol down into a substance called acetaldehyde that is a known cancer-causing agent. Acetaldehyde damages our DNA and hinders the ability of cells to repair this damage, promoting the development of cancerous cells.

  • Alcohol can cause oxidative stress, which means that there is an excess of oxygen molecules (free radicals) compared with antioxidants. Oxidative stress can damage healthy cells’ DNA and cause inflammation.

  • Hormones, such as estrogen, can be affected by alcohol consumption. Estrogen plays a key role in the growth and development of breast tissue, and altering estrogen levels may affect cell growth.

  • Alcohol consumption hinders the body’s ability to absorb nutrients that help protect cells and reduce inflammation, such as vitamins A, B6, C, D, and K. These vitamins assist in the process of synthesizing and repairing DNA.

  • Alcohol use promotes the absorption of other cancer-causing agents. For example, when people use alcohol and tobacco, their alcohol use may make their cells more sensitive to tobacco damage.
  • Consuming excessive calories in alcohol can lead to weight gain. Excess body weight is linked to many forms of cancer. Containing 7 calories per gram, alcohol has almost as many calories as fat, which has 9 calories per gram. In comparison, carbohydrates and protein contain only 4 calories per gram.

Our Weigh Your Options™: Alcohol Drinks Display is an attention-grabbing, tactile way to help your audience see and feel how the extra calories in alcohol can really add up. The display contains four colorful, weighted bags ranging in weight from 1 to 5 pounds, revealing how much weight you could gain if you drink a glass of wine, two regular beers, a mixed drink, or a cocktail every day for a month in excess of your daily calorie needs.




To Drink or Not to Drink?

Because alcohol consumption is a leading preventable cause of cancer, the best choice to reduce your cancer risk is not to drink alcohol. However, for those who choose to drink, they can help decrease their risk of health consequences by limiting alcohol intake.

So, how much alcohol is too much? Per the Dietary Guidelines for Americans: It is not recommended for any reason that nondrinkers start drinking alcohol. Women who are or who may be pregnant and people under the age of 21 should not drink alcohol.

For people who choose to consume alcohol, they should do so in moderation, which means consuming up to one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men.

How much is a drink? A standard drink contains 14 grams (0.6 ounces) of pure alcohol, such as:

  • 12 ounces of beer (5% alcohol)
  • 8 ounces of malt liquor (7% alcohol)
  • 5 ounces of wine (12% alcohol)
  • 1.5 ounces—a shot—of 80 proof (40% alcohol) distilled spirits or liquor

Our DrinkAware™ Display is ideal to help viewers understand recommended alcohol limits. It provides four clear examples of a standard drink with models of a beer, cooler, shot of spirits, and martini. The accompanying tent card defines a standard drink along with definitions of heavy, binge, and moderate drinking.

Find the educational resources featured here and many more Health Edco alcohol teaching tools in our product section dedicated to engaging alcohol education and awareness resources.

The information contained in this newsletter is not intended to replace the advice of a healthcare professional.


©2025 Health Edco®