A modest reduction in alcohol consumption levels can significantly lower cancer-related mortality rates. This is the conclusion drawn by researchers from La Trobe University, whose findings have been published in the British Journal of Cancer (BJC).
The study involved an examination of over seven decades of national statistical information from Australia. The review incorporated data pertaining to mortality rates, alcohol and tobacco consumption levels, and general baseline health indicators of the population. Experts determined that protracted alcohol intake exhibits a correlation with the onset of several cancer types, specifically—liver cancer, cancers of the upper respiratory and digestive tracts, colorectal cancer, and breast cancer.
Specialists estimate that alcohol is responsible for driving approximately half of all fatalities associated with liver cancer and cancers of the upper aerodigestive tract in men, while it accounts for a substantial proportion of breast cancer cases in women.
The most pronounced correlation is observed among individuals over the age of 50. This is attributed to the cumulative damage inflicted by alcohol over time. Given the widely recognized global trend of an aging populace, without comprehensive preventative initiatives, the count of cancer deaths linked to alcohol faces a risk of escalation.
Modeling predicts that even minor positive shifts can yield substantial outcomes. Should average alcohol intake decrease by just one liter of pure alcohol per individual annually, the researchers calculate that mortality rates from the aforementioned cancer types would decline by several percentage points.
About the Author
