Alcohol use remains common in the United States, yet its role in cancer risk is often understated in public health guidance. A new systematic review from researchers at Florida Atlantic University examines how drinking frequency, quantity, and individual risk factors shape cancer outcomes across U.S. adults.
Published in Cancer Epidemiology, the analysis evaluated 62 studies, with cohorts ranging from fewer than 100 participants to nearly 100 million. The team assessed associations between alcohol intake and multiple cancer types, while accounting for comorbidities such as obesity, diabetes, and chronic liver disease, along with social and demographic factors.
“Across 50 studies in our review, higher alcohol consumption consistently raised cancer risk, with risk increasing as intake grows,” said Lea Sacca, senior author of the study. The review found strong associations between alcohol use and cancers of the breast, colorectum, liver, oral cavity, larynx, esophagus, and stomach. Alcohol-related liver disease was linked to more advanced liver cancer and poorer survival.
Risk varied across populations. Higher intake carried a greater risk among African Americans, people with genetic susceptibility, and individuals with obesity or diabetes. Age, income, education, and race influenced vulnerability even when reported consumption was similar. Drinking patterns also mattered. Frequent use increased risk in men, while episodic heavy drinking showed stronger associations in women. Beverage type differed across studies, with some linking beer or white wine to a higher risk for specific cancers.
“Biologically, alcohol can damage DNA through acetaldehyde, alter hormone levels, trigger oxidative stress, suppress the immune system, and increase carcinogen absorption,” said Lewis Nelson. Smoking, infections such as hepatitis B and C virus or Helicobacter pylori, physical inactivity, and BMI further modify risk.
The findings demonstrate consistent evidence that cancer risk reflects alcohol exposure alongside biological, behavioral, and social factors identified across large U.S. populations.
Publication Details
Abraham, I., Dasilva, G., Ernst, K., Campson, A., Starr, A., Kamm, C., ... & Sacca, L. (2025). A systematic review on the risk of developing cancer and frequency of alcohol consumption behaviors in US adults. Cancer Epidemiology, 99, 102956. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.canep.2025.102956
Published in Cancer Epidemiology, the analysis evaluated 62 studies, with cohorts ranging from fewer than 100 participants to nearly 100 million. The team assessed associations between alcohol intake and multiple cancer types, while accounting for comorbidities such as obesity, diabetes, and chronic liver disease, along with social and demographic factors.
“Across 50 studies in our review, higher alcohol consumption consistently raised cancer risk, with risk increasing as intake grows,” said Lea Sacca, senior author of the study. The review found strong associations between alcohol use and cancers of the breast, colorectum, liver, oral cavity, larynx, esophagus, and stomach. Alcohol-related liver disease was linked to more advanced liver cancer and poorer survival.
Risk varied across populations. Higher intake carried a greater risk among African Americans, people with genetic susceptibility, and individuals with obesity or diabetes. Age, income, education, and race influenced vulnerability even when reported consumption was similar. Drinking patterns also mattered. Frequent use increased risk in men, while episodic heavy drinking showed stronger associations in women. Beverage type differed across studies, with some linking beer or white wine to a higher risk for specific cancers.
“Biologically, alcohol can damage DNA through acetaldehyde, alter hormone levels, trigger oxidative stress, suppress the immune system, and increase carcinogen absorption,” said Lewis Nelson. Smoking, infections such as hepatitis B and C virus or Helicobacter pylori, physical inactivity, and BMI further modify risk.
The findings demonstrate consistent evidence that cancer risk reflects alcohol exposure alongside biological, behavioral, and social factors identified across large U.S. populations.
Publication Details
Abraham, I., Dasilva, G., Ernst, K., Campson, A., Starr, A., Kamm, C., ... & Sacca, L. (2025). A systematic review on the risk of developing cancer and frequency of alcohol consumption behaviors in US adults. Cancer Epidemiology, 99, 102956. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.canep.2025.102956