Cancer rates are increasing in people ages 50 and under, and de-stigmatizing alcohol can decrease risk factors.
There’s more public knowledge than ever about the risks of alcohol consumption. Even so, it’s still widely available and relatively easy to acquire even for those who are underage.
Alcohol is a known carcinogen and its consistent use is linked to the following cancers, per the National Cancer Institute:
- Mouth
- Voice box
- Throat
- Esophagus
- Breast
- Liver
- Colon and rectum
A 2018 study from The Lancet found that even current recommendations for moderate drinking still present risks. Additional research shows that using tobacco and alcohol further increases the risk of oral, throat, and esophageal cancers.
That’s why it’s crucial to educate our communities about the link between alcohol use and cancer. Special occasions, social, and even workplace events tend to have alcohol at the ready. That can make it hard for people to stay away from drinking 100% of the time, but thankfully even reducing one’s intake can be helpful.
Why Alcohol Increases the Risk of Cancer
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), our bodies break alcohol down before absorbing it. In the process of breaking down, alcohol results in chemical components that may be detrimental to DNA. Any DNA damage changes the way new cells work. If damaged cells replicate uncontrollably, there’s a risk they could become cancerous.
A person’s genetic makeup can have an impact on their risk of developing cancer. That’s because alcohol comes into contact with our DNA. Our bodies use enzymes to metabolize alcohol, and some people’s genes may affect how these enzymes react when they encounter alcohol.
Changing Habits After a Diagnosis
A cancer diagnosis is life-altering, and patients face a gamut of emotions as they deal with their new circumstances. The diagnosis itself takes a physical and emotional toll, but treatment also takes some getting used to. Generally speaking, most people decide to forgo or decrease alcohol consumption once they receive confirmation that they have cancer.
Dr. Jennifer Hay is a psychologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. She specializes in treating oncology patients. Dr. Hay explains that even moderate drinking is linked to additional cancer risks. “Traditionally we’ve thought of alcohol as a problem if you drink heavily or if it falls into problem drinking,” she said.
Examples of problem drinking that don’t necessarily constitute a substance use disorder include driving under the influence and drinking while pregnant or underage.
“What we need to understand in the cancer realm is that any drinking increases your risk of developing cancer and that that includes seven types of cancer that we know decisively are related to alcohol,” Dr. Hay explains.
In more uplifting news, common cancers are becoming more treatable. That doesn’t take away from the fact that it’s important to help the public understand the correlation between alcohol and cancer.
Moving Away from Shame-Based Language
Per Dr. Hay, it’s challenging to help patients get the message about alcohol’s harms because of the contexts in which most people drink.
“There are so many celebratory feelings associated with drinking because of those contexts in which we drink. It’s hard for people to listen to warnings that moderate drinking is problematic,” she says.
Patients who are undergoing cancer treatments may also want to continue drinking for a variety of reasons. From wanting to unwind, enjoy special occasions, or even substance use disorders, it’s understandable that people want to continue with activities that ground them in the lives they led before their diagnosis. Regardless of the reasons or occasions behind this, patients are advised to talk to their physicians about any alcohol use.
Harm Reduction
Harm reduction refers to the practice of diminishing risks without getting rid of them altogether. When it comes to drinking, it might mean reducing alcohol consumption if one decides not to become sober.
Anne Peled, MD is a doctor, surgeon, educator, and breast cancer survivor.
“As a survivor myself I have to keep an eye on how much I drink. I enjoy being out in social situations and having cocktails with friends. When I attend professional meetings alcohol is a big part of the culture. Some of the things that I talk to people about is that you don’t have to eliminate alcohol completely. Patients can just try to reduce drinking,” says Dr. Peled.
She also suggests that in social situations, it’s wise to switch between an alcoholic drink and a nonalcoholic drink.
Examining one’s relationship to alcohol is a great way to decrease risks and be more mindful. Any harm reduction can play a role in decreasing alcohol-related health issues. Practices such as Dry January might not end with people choosing to abstain from alcohol forever. Still, they can help people reexamine their relationship with alcohol and be more mindful if they decide to restart.
“It’s tricky because when we talk to young people, our biggest concerns around alcohol are things that could truly be life-threatening or emergencies that could land them in the hospital. To teens talking about a slight future increase in the risk of breast cancer is probably going to feel scary. They may not feel like there’s something actionable they can do to reduce risk,” says Dr. Peled.
Research from Brigham and Women’s Hospital shows that cancer rates have been rapidly increasing in people under the age of 50 since approximately 1990. Dr. Peled says, “We are seeing in general more rates of cancer in young people in the last decade. So I think I probably would put cancer risk in a general category of longer-term health issues and that probably some of the choices you make as a teen, as a young adult, can impact your risk of getting cancers and other health issues in the future.”
Dr. Hay adds to this, “We now screen for colon cancer in your 40s, and they’re bringing down the recommended ages for colonoscopies.”
Data also shows that young people today drink less than previous generations did at their age, and that gives advocates and doctors a sense of cautious optimism. That’s because surveys about teen drinking report that alcohol use is down in teens and young adults because they’re socializing less than previous generations. In some countries, teens who drank less also continue to drink less as adults.
Doctors have also been changing how they talk to patients about their alcohol habits. Dr. Peled prefers to take on the role of support when talking to patients about alcohol, especially because many cancers are highly treatable. “I like to say to patients, ‘You’re going to survive for many, many years after cancer. What do you want that life to look like? What are the ways that you can continue to feel healthy going forward and be your very best version of yourself?’ And I think that framing also often makes a big difference for people.”
In the meantime, patients who do drink should talk to their doctor about their consumption. Being upfront can help them provide better treatment.
