Does Alcohol Use Affect Cancer Risk?

doi:10.1007/s13668-019-0267-0

Review

. 2019 Sep;8(3):222-229.

doi: 10.1007/s13668-019-0267-0.

Does Alcohol Use Affect Cancer Risk?

Jürgen Rehm^{1

2

3

4

5

6

7}, Isabelle Soerjomataram⁸, Carina Ferreira-Borges⁹, Kevin D Shield^{10

11

12}

Affiliations

¹ Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Room T420, 33 Russell Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 2S1, Canada. jtrehm@gmail.com.
² Institute of Medical Science (IMS), University of Toronto, Room 2374, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada. jtrehm@gmail.com.
³ Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, 6th Floor, 155 College Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 3M7, Canada. jtrehm@gmail.com.
⁴ WHO Collaboration Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 33 Russell Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 2S1, Canada. jtrehm@gmail.com.
⁵ Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, 8th Floor, 250 College Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 1R8, Canada. jtrehm@gmail.com.
⁶ Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, CAMH, 250 College Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 1R8, Canada. jtrehm@gmail.com.
⁷ Institute for Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, TU Dresden, Chemnitzer Str. 46, 01187, Dresden, Germany. jtrehm@gmail.com.
⁸ Section of Cancer Surveillance, International Agency for Research on Cancer, 150 Cours Albert Thomas, 69372, Lyon Cedex, France.
⁹ World Health Organization, WHO European Office for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases (NCD Office), 9 Leontyevsky Pereulok, Moscow, Russian Federation, 125009.
¹⁰ Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Room T420, 33 Russell Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 2S1, Canada.
¹¹ Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, 6th Floor, 155 College Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 3M7, Canada.
¹² WHO Collaboration Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 33 Russell Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 2S1, Canada.

PMID: 30895470
DOI: 10.1007/s13668-019-0267-0

Review

Does Alcohol Use Affect Cancer Risk?

Jürgen Rehm et al. Curr Nutr Rep. 2019 Sep.

. 2019 Sep;8(3):222-229.

doi: 10.1007/s13668-019-0267-0.

Authors

Jürgen Rehm^{1

2

3

4

5

6

7}, Isabelle Soerjomataram⁸, Carina Ferreira-Borges⁹, Kevin D Shield^{10

11

12}

Affiliations

¹ Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Room T420, 33 Russell Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 2S1, Canada. jtrehm@gmail.com.
² Institute of Medical Science (IMS), University of Toronto, Room 2374, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada. jtrehm@gmail.com.
³ Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, 6th Floor, 155 College Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 3M7, Canada. jtrehm@gmail.com.
⁴ WHO Collaboration Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 33 Russell Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 2S1, Canada. jtrehm@gmail.com.
⁵ Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, 8th Floor, 250 College Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 1R8, Canada. jtrehm@gmail.com.
⁶ Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, CAMH, 250 College Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 1R8, Canada. jtrehm@gmail.com.
⁷ Institute for Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, TU Dresden, Chemnitzer Str. 46, 01187, Dresden, Germany. jtrehm@gmail.com.
⁸ Section of Cancer Surveillance, International Agency for Research on Cancer, 150 Cours Albert Thomas, 69372, Lyon Cedex, France.
⁹ World Health Organization, WHO European Office for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases (NCD Office), 9 Leontyevsky Pereulok, Moscow, Russian Federation, 125009.
¹⁰ Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Room T420, 33 Russell Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 2S1, Canada.
¹¹ Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, 6th Floor, 155 College Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 3M7, Canada.
¹² WHO Collaboration Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 33 Russell Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 2S1, Canada.

PMID: 30895470
DOI: 10.1007/s13668-019-0267-0

Abstract

Purpose of review: To provide an overview of the risk relationships between alcohol use and cancer and of the alcohol-attributable cancer burden; to highlight areas of controversy in the alcohol-cancer relationship; to examine the reasons why these risk relationships have not received greater public attention.

Recent findings: In 2016, alcohol caused an estimated 376,200 cancer deaths, 10.0 million cancer years of life lost (YLLs), 236,600 cancer years lived with disability (YLDs), and 10.3 million cancer disability-adjusted years of life (DALYs), representing 4.2%, 4.2%, 4.6%, and 4.2% of all deaths, YLLs, YLDs, and DALYs lost due to cancer, respectively, proportionally highest in high- and upper-middle-income countries. Alcohol use is a major contributor to cancer and is linked to the most prevalent types of cancer. No threshold for the effects of alcohol on cancer has yet been identified, and thus, abstinence is best for cancer prevention. Greater public awareness of the relationship between alcohol use and cancer is advisable.

Keywords: Acetaldehyde; Alcohol; Burden of disease; Cancer; Mortality; Public perception.

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References

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1. Semin Cancer Biol. 2004 Dec;14(6):413-26 - PubMed
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[1] Drug Alcohol Rev. 2018 Mar;37(3):313-315 - PubMed

[2] Drug Alcohol Rev. 2018 Mar;37(3):313-315 - PubMed

[3] Semin Cancer Biol. 2004 Dec;14(6):413-26 - PubMed

[4] Semin Cancer Biol. 2004 Dec;14(6):413-26 - PubMed

[5] IARC Monogr Eval Carcinog Risks Hum. 2012;100(Pt E):1-538 - PubMed

[6] IARC Monogr Eval Carcinog Risks Hum. 2012;100(Pt E):1-538 - PubMed

[7] Addiction. 2013 Dec;108(12):2058-9 - PubMed

[8] Addiction. 2013 Dec;108(12):2058-9 - PubMed

[9] PLoS One. 2013;8(3):e58158 - PubMed

[10] PLoS One. 2013;8(3):e58158 - PubMed

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Does Alcohol Use Affect Cancer Risk?

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