Having a drink at the end of the day might seem harmless, especially if it’s just one glass of wine or a cocktail. But new research suggests that even relatively small amounts of alcohol may be linked to an increased risk of dying from several types of cancer.
And it’s not just your liver that’s at risk. According to a study published in The Lancet Regional Health – Americas, even one drink a day could contribute to the risk of breast, prostate, colon, rectum, pancreatic, head, and neck cancer.
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Alcohol Is Linked To 10 Types of Cancer
The study analyzed U.S. data from the Global Burden of Disease Study between 1990 and 2023. The good news is that during that time, "the overall cancer mortality has declined." However, what may be surprising is that "the percentage of cancer deaths proportionally attributable to alcohol rose over 58% in people 20 and older over the last 33 years," according to Dr. Chinmay Jani. That number rose from 11,361 in 1990 to 23,126 in 2023.
"The most surprising finding was the breadth of alcohol’s potential impact across cancer types," he told CNN.
The study also indicated that men aged 20 to 54 were at higher risk of death from alcohol-related colorectal and liver cancer, while alcohol-related breast cancer was the leading cause among women.
One Drink is Enough to Raise Cancer Risk
That glass of red wine before bed might not be as harmless as you think. Perhaps the most concerning part of the findings is that it may not take heavy drinking to increase cancer risk.
Jani told CNN that consuming about one standard drink a day, every day, was enough to increase the risk of alcohol-related cancer mortality.
It's important to note that this doesn't mean having one drink automatically causes cancer or that everyone who drinks daily will develop or die from cancer. The study looked at alcohol-attributable cancer deaths at the population level rather than following individual people based on their drinking habits.
Still, the findings add to existing research linking alcohol consumption with cancer.
The researchers describe alcohol as a potentially modifiable risk factor, meaning reducing consumption is one thing people can change to potentially lower their risk.
"While our study does not have the data to show you should completely stop drinking alcohol, the message we want to deliver is that lowering your alcohol use to the lowest possible level will be best for your health," Jani concluded.
Ultimately, the study adds to growing evidence that the connection between alcohol and cancer extends far beyond the liver—and that drinking less may help reduce the risk.
