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09/25/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/25/2024 15:25

If You Drink Alcohol, Are You More Susceptible to Certain Types of Cancer

Key takeaways:

  • Alcohol increases the risk of certain types of cancer.

  • Heavier drinking over longer periods of time leads to greater risk.

  • To decrease your cancer risk, drink in moderation - or not at all.

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Many of us enjoy beer, wine, and cocktails as part of our day-to-day activities. With dinner, out with friends, celebrating special occasions - alcohol is often a part of it. But you may not think about how it can negatively affect your health, especially if you don't drink very much.

Despite being a regular part of our culture, alcohol can have serious health effects. It can increase your risk for certain types of cancer - even if consumed in small amounts. Keep reading to find out more about the link between alcohol and cancer, and what it means for your health.

What's the relationship between alcohol and cancer?

When you drink alcohol, you may not think of it as toxic. And you're not alone: Most people in the U.S. underestimate some of alcohol's health risks.

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Important Safety Information

What are some important things to know about the safety of LUTATHERA?
LUTATHERA is associated with some serious safety considerations and, in some cases, these may require your health care provider to adjust or stop your treatment. You should always follow your health care provider's instructions. Safety considerations include:

• Radiation exposure: Treatment with LUTATHERA will expose you to radiation, which can contribute to your long-term radiation exposure. Overall radiation exposure is associated with an increased risk for cancer. The radiation will be detectable in your urine for up to 30 days following administration of the drug. It is important to minimize radiation exposure to household contacts consistent with good radiation safety practices as advised by your health care provider.

• Bone marrow problems: Treatment with LUTATHERA increases the risk of myelosuppression, a condition in which bone marrow activity is decreased, resulting in a drop in blood cell counts. You may experience blood-related side effects such as low red blood cells (anemia), low numbers of cells that are responsible for blood clotting (thrombocytopenia), and low numbers of white blood cells (neutropenia). Speak with your health care provider if you experience any signs or symptoms of infection, fever, chills, dizziness, shortness of breath, or increased bleeding or bruising. Your health care provider may need to adjust or stop your treatment accordingly.

• Secondary bone marrow and blood cancers: Other serious conditions that you may develop as a direct result of treatment with LUTATHERA include blood and bone marrow disorders known as secondary myelodysplastic syndrome and cancer known as acute leukemia. Your health care provider will routinely check your blood cell counts and tell you if they are too low or too high.

• Kidney problems: Treatment with LUTATHERA will expose your kidneys to radiation and may impair their ability to work as normal. You may be at an increased risk for kidney problems after LUTATHERA treatment if you already have kidney impairment before treatment. In some cases, patients have experienced kidney failure after treatment with LUTATHERA. Your health care provider will provide you with an amino acid solution before, during, and after LUTATHERA to help protect your kidneys. You should stay well hydrated before, on the day of, and on the day after your treatment. You should urinate frequently before, on the day of, and on the day after administration of LUTATHERA. Your doctor will monitor your kidney function and may withhold, reduce, or stop your LUTATHERA treatment accordingly.

• Liver problems: In clinical studies of LUTATHERA, less than 1% of patients were reported to have tumor bleeding (hemorrhage), swelling (edema), or tissue damage (necrosis) to the liver. If you have tumors in your liver, you may be more likely to experience these side effects. Tell your health care provider right away if you have any of these signs and symptoms of liver problems: yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes (jaundice), unusual darkening of the urine, unusual tiredness, right upper stomach area (abdomen) pain, confusion, and/or swelling of the stomach area (abdomen). Your health care provider will monitor your liver using blood tests and may need to withhold, reduce, or stop your LUTATHERA treatment accordingly.

• Allergic reactions: Allergic reactions have occurred in people who were treated with LUTATHERA. Notify your health care provider if you develop symptoms of an allergic reaction. Seek emergency help right away for any serious allergic reactions. Symptoms may include trouble breathing or swallowing; raised bumps (hives); rash or itching; and swelling of the face, lips, tongue, throat, or arms.

• Hormonal gland problems (carcinoid crisis): During your treatment you may experience certain symptoms that are related to hormones released from your cancer. These symptoms may include flushing, diarrhea, difficulty breathing (bronchospasm), and low blood pressure (hypotension), and may occur during or within the 24 hours after your first LUTATHERA treatment. Your health care provider will monitor you closely. Speak with your health care provider if you experience any of these signs or symptoms.

• Pregnancy warning: Tell your health care provider if you are pregnant. LUTATHERA can harm your unborn baby. Females should use an effective method of birth control during treatment and for 7 months after the last dose of LUTATHERA. Males with female partners should use an effective method of birth control during treatment with LUTATHERA and for 4 months after the last dose.

• Breastfeeding warning: You should not breastfeed during treatment with LUTATHERA and for 2.5 months after your last dose of LUTATHERA.

• Fertility problems: Treatment with LUTATHERA may cause infertility. This is because radiation absorbed by your testes or ovaries over the treatment period falls within the range of exposure in which temporary or permanent infertility may occur.

What are the most common side effects of LUTATHERA?

The most common and most serious side effects of LUTATHERA include decreased blood cell counts, increased liver enzymes, vomiting, nausea, increased blood glucose, and decreased blood potassium levels.

Talk to your doctor if you experience any of these side effects. There are other possible side effects of LUTATHERA. For more information and to learn more about LUTATHERA, talk to your doctor or health care provider.

Adverse reactions observed in children aged 12 years and older were similar to those observed in adults treated with LUTATHERA.

What other medicines may interact with LUTATHERA?

Tell your health care provider if you are taking any other medications. You should stop taking your long-acting somatostatin analogue at least 4 weeks before LUTATHERA treatment. You may continue taking short-acting somatostatin analogues up to 24 hours before your LUTATHERA treatment.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

What is LUTATHERA?

LUTATHERA® (lutetium Lu 177 dotatate) is a prescription medicine used to treat adults and children aged 12 years and older with a type of cancer known as gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs) that are positive for the hormone receptor somatostatin, including GEP-NETs in the foregut, midgut, and hindgut.

Please see fullPrescribing Informationfor LUTATHERA.


Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
East Hanover, New Jersey 07936- 1080. © 2024 Novartis 5/24 422673

But it's actually a known carcinogen. This means alcohol can cause cancer in humans. Roughly 6% of cancer deaths in the U.S. are due to alcohol. It increases the risk of several types of cancer, including the following:

  • Head and neck cancers: These include cancers of the mouth, throat, and voice box. Alcohol comes in direct contact with these parts of the body when you drink it and can damage the cells there. Heavy drinkers (see definitions below) have over 5 times the risk of mouth and throat cancers compared to nondrinkers. Using alcohol and tobacco together increases the risk of cancer more than using either one alone.

  • Esophageal cancer: This risk increases with even light amounts of drinking, but heavy drinkers are at greater risk. They have about 5 times the risk of getting it compared to nondrinkers.

  • Liver cancer: Alcohol damages the liver, causing scarring and cirrhosis. This liver damage can then lead to cancer. Even one drink per day can increase the risk compared to nondrinkers, but the risk is greater for heavier drinkers.

  • Breast cancer: Moderate drinkers have a 7% to 10% higher risk compared with nondrinkers. This is likely due to multiple pathways in the body.

  • Colorectal cancer: Heavy drinkers have nearly 1.5 times the risk of colorectal cancer compared to nondrinkers. This is likely due to direct toxic effects of alcohol on the colon, damaging byproducts, and lifestyle factors.

There may be a link between pancreatic cancer risk and alcohol as well, but this risk is not as well understood yet. It may be that heavy drinking leads to inflammation in the pancreas (pancreatitis), which increases the risk for pancreatic cancer.

EXPERT PICKS: WHAT TO READ NEXT
  • Is any amount of alcohol safe to drink? Learn why the research says no.

  • Thinking about quitting alcohol? These tips can help you stop or reduce drinking.

  • What happens when you quit drinking? Learn about the effects of quitting on your body and mind.

How does alcohol increase your risk of cancer?

There are a few ways alcohol may increase your cancer risk based on how it affects your body after you drink it.

  • Drinking alcohol can produce more carcinogens. Alcohol breaks down into another human carcinogen, acetaldehyde, which has been shown to cause cancer in lab animals.

  • Alcohol can increase levels of estrogen in the blood. Higher estrogen levels can increase the risk of breast cancer in women.

  • Alcohol and acetaldehyde damage the body's DNA, proteins, and fats. This can interrupt the normal way your body functions on a microscopic, cellular level. And this makes it more likely for an abnormal process like cancer to take over.

  • Alcohol may lead to decreased absorption of important vitamins like A, B complex, C, D, and E. This may play a role in cancer risk.

  • Drinking alcohol can contribute to weight gain and obesity, which can also increase the risk of certain cancers.

Can all alcoholic drinks cause cancer?

Yes. When it comes to alcoholic drinks, the type of drink doesn't matter. Although the amount can vary from drink to drink, they all contain alcohol. And it's the alcohol that increases the risk for cancer.

However, some drinks contain more alcohol than others depending on the type and size. In the U.S., a standard drink has 0.6 oz or 1.2 tbsp of pure alcohol. This is equal to the amount of alcohol found in:

  • One 12 oz beer (about 5% alcohol)

  • One 5 oz glass of wine (about 12% alcohol)

  • 1.5 oz of 80-proof liquor (about 40% alcohol)

  • 8 oz to 10 oz of malt liquor or hard seltzer (about 7% alcohol)

It's important to remember that serving sizes may vary depending on whether you're making your own drinks or buying them at a bar or restaurant. A glass of wine may be more than 5 oz, for example, and a single cocktail may contain more than 1.5 oz of liquor depending on who makes it.

What about red wine and its health benefits?

Red wine has been called "good for your health" because it contains antioxidants called polyphenols, like resveratrol. Red wine has been linked to a decreased risk of heart disease, but more research on the topic has shown conflicting results. The benefits have been hard to prove consistently. It turns out red wine might not be as healthy as once thought.

It's important to remember that all alcohol can increase the risk for certain cancers. This includes the alcohol found in red wine. If you do drink red wine, drink it in moderation. If you're not already a wine drinker, consider not starting for any perceived health benefits.

Does it matter how much alcohol you drink?

When it comes to cancer risk, no amount of alcohol is considered safe or healthy. Drinking more alcohol over longer periods of time is very clearly associated with an increased cancer risk. Even having 1 drink per day or less is associated with an increased risk of esophageal, breast, and mouth and throat cancer. In fact, the American Cancer Society (ACS) says it's best to not drink any alcohol at all.

But, if you do drink, it's best to keep the amount as low as possible. Moderate intake is defined as 2 drinks per day for men and 1 drink per day for women (the difference is because women process alcohol differently).

Does quitting alcohol reduce cancer risk?

Yes. Eliminating alcohol from your diet can help reduce your cancer risk, but it doesn't happen right away. It can take several years for the risk to return to that of a nondrinker. For example, for cancers of the head and neck and esophagus, it may take 20 years or more.

But don't let this discourage you from cutting down or quitting. There are also other potential benefits to limiting or eliminating alcohol. Some people have explored these benefits as part of the sober curious movement by taking breaks from drinking.

Frequently asked questions

Is alcohol worse than cigarettes?
expand_more

It depends on the amount. For example, a large model created from Canadian health data suggests the following:

  • For women, there's less risk per drink than per cigarette.

  • For men who drink fewer than 5 drinks per day, there's less risk per drink than per cigarette.

  • For men, the risk per drink is equal to the risk per cigarette at 5 drinks per day or more.

But these are estimates only, and they don't account for drinking patterns (binge vs. daily drinking). At the end of the day, what matters is this: Abstaining from both alcohol and cigarettes is the best way to decrease your risk of health problems.

Can alcohol cause dementia?
expand_more

Perhaps. There's definitely a link between alcohol, memory loss, and dementia. But determining cause and effect is difficult in medicine. Heavy and chronic alcohol use contributes to brain damage for sure. Questions remain about moderate consumption, but it's likely that it has a negative effect on cognition.

Is vodka the worst alcohol for your liver?
expand_more

Different types of alcohol contain different amounts, so there isn't a "worst" type. In other words, the amount is as important as the type. It helps to understand how much alcohol is in whatever you're drinking.

The bottom line

You may have never thought of the alcohol in your favorite cocktail as a carcinogen. But it's important to know that drinking alcohol increases the risk of certain types of cancer. For this reason, less is more when it comes to alcohol. Drinking large amounts over longer periods of time contributes to greater risk. To lower your risk, drink less alcohol and follow recommendations for daily and weekly maximum amounts - or drink none at all.

Why trust our experts?

Written by:
Sarah Pozniak, MD
Sarah Pozniak, MD, has 9 years of experience since graduating medical school (6 since completing residency). She is a board-certified general internal medicine physician and has practiced as a primary care physician in both Utah and Washington, D.C. Currently, she cares for patients with chronic illnesses such as diabetes and high blood pressure using telemedicine as part of a virtual care program.
Edited by:
Sophie Vergnaud, MD
Sophie Vergnaud, MD, is an experienced and dedicated pulmonologist and hospitalist who spent a decade practicing and teaching clinical medicine at academic hospitals throughout London.
Reviewed by:
Mandy Armitage, MD
Mandy Armitage, MD, has combined her interests in clinical medicine with her passion for education and content development for many years. She served as medical director for the health technology companies HealthLoop (now Get Well) and Doximity.

References

American Cancer Society. (2020). Alcohol use and cancer.

American Cancer Society. (2024). Pancreatic cancer risk factors.

View All References (16)
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Breast Cancer Research Foundation. (2024). The alcohol and breast cancer connection.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). About moderate alcohol use.

Chuang, S. C., et al. (2015). Alcohol consumption and liver cancer risk: A meta-analysis. Cancer Causes and Control.

Henley, J. (2018). 3 weird things about acetaldehyde. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Islami, F., et al. (2017). Proportion and number of cancer cases and deaths attributable to potentially modifiable risk factors in the United States. A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.

Jaswal, H., et al. (2024). A drink equals how many cigarettes? Equating mortality risks from alcohol and tobacco use in Canada. Frontiers in Public Health.

LoConte, N. K., et al. (2017). Alcohol and cancer: A statement of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. Journal of Clinical Oncology.

National Cancer Institute. (2015). Hormones.

National Cancer Institute. (2021). Alcohol and cancer risk.

Rehm, J., et al. (2019). Alcohol use and dementia: A systematic scoping review. Alzheimer's Research and Therapy.

Rethinking Drinking. (n.d.). What's a "standard drink"? National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

Rossi, M., et al. (2018). Colorectal cancer and alcohol consumption-populations to molecules. Cancer.

Salehi, B., et al. (2018). Resveratrol: A double-edged sword in health benefits. Biomedicines.

Seidenberg, A. B., et al. (2023). Do beliefs about alcohol and cancer risk vary by alcoholic beverage type and heart disease risk beliefs?Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2024). Alcoholic beverage consumption. Report on Carcinogens, Fifth Editions.

Visontay, R., et al. (2021). Alcohol use and dementia: New research directions. Current Opinion in Psychiatry.

GoodRx Health has strict sourcing policies and relies on primary sources such as medical organizations, governmental agencies, academic institutions, and peer-reviewed scientific journals. Learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate, thorough, and unbiased by reading our editorial guidelines.

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