US alcohol-linked cancer deaths more than double since 1990

Annual cancer deaths in the United States attributed to alcohol consumption more than doubled between 1990 and 2023, rising from 11,361 to 23,126. A study led by researchers at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and published in ‘The Lancet Regional Health — Americas’ highlights that this increase is driven by a wide range of malignancies rather than liver disease alone.

Among men aged 20–54, colorectal cancer and liver cancer were the leading causes of alcohol-related deaths. In the same age group, women primarily died from breast cancer, followed by colorectal cancer. In older populations, the patterns shifted, with liver, esophageal, and colorectal cancers being more prominent for men, while breast cancer remained a major burden for women.

The research emphasizes that alcohol is a Group 1 carcinogen, placing it in the same category as tobacco smoke and asbestos. Researchers noted that while the link to liver cancer is well-known, there is limited public awareness regarding alcohol’s contribution to other cancers, including esophageal, stomach, pancreatic, prostate, and head and neck cancers.