The Estonian National Institute for Health Development (TAI) highlights, with its campaign started on October 2nd, that alcohol consumption increases the risk for at least seven different types of cancer: oral, pharyngeal, laryngeal, esophageal, liver, colorectal, and breast cancer in women.

According to the World Health Organization, alcohol consumption is linked to 740,000 new cases of cancer worldwide every year. Raising public awareness about preventable cancer risks, including the carcinogenic effects of alcohol, is one of the activities planned under the national cancer prevention action plan. The aim is to reduce lifestyle and health behavior-related cancer incidence in Estonia.

The need for such information was affirmed by a study conducted in 2022 titled “Public Attitudes and Opinions on Alcohol Consumption” (EHAAT). The results revealed that people are not sufficiently aware of alcohol as a cancer risk factor. Most are familiar with the link between alcohol consumption and liver cancer. 64% of respondents associated alcohol consumption with liver cancer, but only 11% considered themselves at risk due to their alcohol consumption. 27% linked alcohol consumption to oral, pharyngeal, and esophageal cancers, with only 5% perceiving this as a personal risk. The figures for colorectal cancer are 27% and 5% respectively. Awareness of the link between alcohol and breast cancer was the lowest – 89% of women are unaware of the connection.

“Since alcohol is widely available, people tend to see it more as a regular food item and don’t perceive a direct risk of cancer from its consumption. Greater awareness of the links between alcohol and cancer risk will help individuals make more informed choices about whether and how much to drink, and to understand the benefits or harms they receive from it. Consumers have the right to know that drinking alcohol increases their risk of developing cancer,” said Anneli Sammel, the head of the TAI’s alcohol and tobacco department.

Studies clearly show a connection between alcohol and cancer risk – the more one consumes, the higher the risk of cancer. There’s no completely safe level of alcohol consumption; even light and moderate drinking increases the likelihood of developing cancer. Regardless of the level of alcohol consumption, it’s always wise to reduce it, as this helps decrease the risk of getting cancer.

Find more from alkoinfo.ee (Estonia, October 2023)