Alcohol-Related Cancer Deaths Double in the U.S. as the Number of Such Deaths Rises Over 33 Years

The number of cancer deaths linked to alcohol consumption in the United States doubled over three decades, rising from 11,400 in 1990 to 23,100 in 2023. Alcohol was associated not only with liver cancer: among middle-aged adults, it was also linked to high mortality from colorectal cancer in men and breast cancer in women. These are the findings of researchers from Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami. The results were published in The Lancet Regional Health – Americas.

The researchers analyzed Global Burden of Disease data covering the period from 1990 to 2023. The largest number of alcohol-related cancer deaths occurred among men and people over 55, but an increase was observed across most age groups and for various types of cancer.

The findings were particularly concerning among younger adults aged 20 to 54. Among men in this age group, colorectal cancer was the leading cause of alcohol-related cancer deaths. Among women, breast cancer ranked first, while colorectal cancer was second. In both groups, these cancers surpassed liver cancer.

The situation was different among older adults. In men, liver cancer accounted for the highest alcohol-related mortality, followed by esophageal and colorectal cancer. Among women, breast cancer remained the leading cancer type in this statistic.

Alcohol is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, placing it in the same category as, for example, tobacco smoke and asbestos. Scientific evidence has linked alcohol consumption to cancers of the breast, liver, esophagus and bowel, as well as certain head and neck cancers.

The researchers note that the public remains much more aware of the association between alcohol and liver disease than of its potential role in the development of other types of cancer.

The authors emphasize that alcohol is a modifiable risk factor. Although a level of alcohol consumption that can be considered completely safe in terms of cancer risk has not been established, reducing alcohol intake may help lower its potential impact on health.

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