The Link Between Alcohol & Cancer
Author: Ian Wheeler, Patient Services Manager

The link between smoking and cancer is widely known and understood, but fewer people are aware of the link between alcohol and cancer.  The BBC recently reported that ‘Growing alcohol use is causing a steep rise in mouth cancer cases… Mouth cancer now kills more people in the UK than cervical cancer and testicular cancer put together – some 1,600 people (in 2004)’.

There were 3411 cases of mouth cancer in 1992 and 4285 in 2001, representing a rise of a quarter in ten years.

Following recent changes in the licensing laws, alcohol is more readily available than ever. Smoking rates have fallen as people become more aware of the health implications but drinking levels are rising. We are living in a society where alcohol is perhaps more socially acceptable than it has ever been, especially amongst young people.

There are a number of warning signs which may indicate mouth cancer. You should see a doctor or dentist if you have any of the following for more than three weeks:

An ulcer or sore in the mouth
A red or white patch in the mouth
An unexplained pain in the mouth or ear
An explained lump in the neck
A sore or painful throat, croaky voice or difficulty swallowing

Drinking can also increase a woman’s risk of breast cancer. It has been calculated that the risk of breast cancer rises by 6% for each extra drink a woman consumes on an average daily basis. On the whole, the effect of alcohol is more significant for older women. It is not entirely clear why alcohol increases the risk of breast cancer, but women who consume more alcohol tend to have higher levels of the sex hormone oestrogen in their blood and oestrogen is known to be linked to breast cancer.

Other forms of cancer have been linked to drinking too much alcohol – cancer of the larynx, oesophagus, liver and possibly bowel.  Smoking and drinking together can increase a person’s risk even more. According to one study, the risk of liver cancer is ten times greater in people who smoke and drink.

Binge drinking is becoming an increasing problem in the UK. 8 million people in this country drink at risky levels and British teenagers are amongst Europe’s heaviest young drinkers. We can but hope that increases in alcohol consumption will ultimately be accompanied by an increase in the public’s awareness of the potential health implications of excessive drinking. 

Sources: www.bbc.co.uk, http://info.cancerresearchuk.org.