Alcohol is a group 1 carcinogen, which means that there is enough evidence to show that alcohol causes cancer. Other group 1 carcinogens include UV radiation and tobacco smoke. Alcohol causes 3.3% of cancer cases in the UK, which is around 11,900 cases per year. To put this in context, tobacco smoking causes 15% of cancer cases in the UK. The evidence shows that any amount of alcohol can increase the risk of cancer, but drinking 14 units a week or less will keep the risk low. Evidence shows that any amount of alcohol can increase the risk of cancer, but drinking 14 units a week or less will keep the risk low. For some cancers, any amount of alcohol increases the risk. For other types of cancer, the risk only increases after drinking two or three drinks per day – around 26 to 35 units per week. Any amount of alcohol increases the risk of: Mouth cancer Upper throat and voice box cancer Food pipe (oesophagus) cancer Breast cancer Drinking two or more drinks per day (around 3.5 units) increases the risk of: Colorectal cancer Drinking three or more drinks per day (around five units) increases the risk of: Stomach cancer Liver cancer Alcohol increases the risk of these cancers by different amounts. If you were drinking every day, every 10 grams of pure alcohol (around one drink or 1.25 units) would increase the risk of these cancers by the following amounts, compared to if you were not drinking: Mouth and throat cancer by around 15% Oesophagus cancer by 25% Breast cancer by 7% Colorectal cancer by 7% Liver cancer by 4% Stomach cancer by 2% To put these figures into context, a woman drinking between 14 and 35 units per week, has a 15% chance of developing breast cancer, compared to an 11% chance if she didn’t drink at all. Similarly, a man drinking up to 14 units per week has a 0.6% chance of developing colorectal cancer, which rises to an 11% chance if he drinks over 35 units per week. Alcohol causes around 11,900 cases of cancer per year in the UK.

Back   in   2023   a   campaign   by   Balance   called   “Alcohol   is   Toxic” was   launched.   This   was   supported   by   Cancer   Research   UK   and local   authorities   to   warn   alcohol   is   a   direct   cause   of   7   types   of cancer    –    including    bowel,    breast,    liver    throat    and    mouth cancer. Only   1   in   3   people   in   the   North   East   are   aware   that   alcohol causes   cancer   and   yet   nearly   half   (47%)   of   adults   are   drinking above   the   Chief   Medical   Officers’   guidelines   of   no   more   than 14 units a week – enough to significantly raise their risks. It    also    comes    as    the    UK    topped    global    charts    for    binge drinking   among   women   –   defined   as   having   at   least   six   drinks in    a    single    session    –    with    26%    doing    this    at    least    once    a month. This   powerful   new   creative   from   Balance   is   unlike   any   campaign   ever   seen   before   for   alcohol   in   the   UK   and   follows   the journey   of   alcohol   through   the   body,   mutating   cells   and   leading   to   the   formation   of   a   tumour.   It   has   been   developed with input from doctors to depict the evidence on how alcohol causes cancer. People   are   being   encouraged   to   visit   the   ReduceMyRisk.tv   website   to   find   free   advice   and   tools   to   cut   down   and   links to local alcohol support services. Latest figures around alcohol and cancer reveal: Nearly 500 deaths (483) from cancer as a result of alcohol in 2019 in the North East. Up to 1,640 men every two years diagnosed with an alcohol-related cancer in the North East. The most common cancer for men with known associations with alcohol is bowel cancer. Up to 1,580 women every two years diagnosed with an alcohol-related cancer in the North East. The most common cancer for women with known associations with alcohol is breast cancer. Alcohol is estimated to have caused around 740,000 new cases of cancer a year globally and 17,000 in the UK in 2020 The World Health Organisation warns there is “no safe amount” of alcohol for health with the risks starting from the first drop.