A Europe-wide study has found that drinking more than the recommended daily amount of alcohol can substantially increase the risk of developing cancer. The study, published in the British Medical Journal, found that over 18% of all cancers in men and about 4% of all cancers in women were due to excessive drinking.
The study followed 363,988 men and women between the ages of 35 and 70 in 8 European countries. In the past, researchers have demonstrated that alcohol consumption can increase the risk of bowel, liver, oesophagus and female breast cancers. When alcohol breaks down, it creates a chemical which can harm DNA, which in turn elevates the risk of getting cancer.
The risk of developing cancer from alcohol is elevated when men drink more than two drinks per day, or when women drink more than one drink per day.
One drink is defined as about 12g of alcohol. This is the equivalent of a half a pint of beer, or about a 125ml glass of wine.
According to Madlen Schutze, the author and lead researcher for the study, if alcohol consumption was reduced, a lot of cancer could be avoided. She also points out that reducing alcohol consumption to levels below the recommended guidelines would prevent more cancer cases than just reducing alcohol consumption to the recommended guideline levels.
As a result of this study, there may be growing pressure on governments to try to curb alcohol consumption, possibly by raising taxes on alcohol.
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