Alcohol and Cancer – As Dangerous as Smoking?
There are some basic things we know about alcoholism. The disease afflicts nearly 14 million people nationwide, or nearly one in every 10 adults. It kills nearly 20,000 Americans each year, both directly and as a result of alcohol-related incidents and conditions.
Of those people diagnosed with psychiatric disorders, nearly one-third have a history of alcoholism and alcohol dependency. This disease is distressing in terms of its scope and its effects. Alcoholism has become a strain on our public health system and devastating for numerous families today
However, even these staggering numbers may be an actual understatement of the true damage inflicted by alcoholism. A new international study has found that the cancer risk associated with heavy alcohol consumption has long been under reported and may rival even the risks posed by smoking. The study, conducted by the France-based International Agency for Research on Cancer, was recently published in The Lancet Oncology journal.
The research results lead to the conclusion that extreme levels of drinking and alcohol dependency can considerably increase the risk of a multitude of cancers. These include cancers of the breast, colon, esophagus, liver, mouth and larynx. There is even the suggestion of a link between alcohol consumption and lung and pancreatic cancers, although there were not sufficient findings to be conclusive on these two cancers.
You may have heard of other recent studies that had suggested that moderate alcohol consumption may result in a reduced risk of heart disease. Given these prior studies, the cancer study’s findings caused mild controversy among some in the medical community. The differences between the two studies are clear, the current study reflects only the consequences of heavy, long-term drinking such as that associated with alcoholism. Moderate drinking – defined as two glasses of wine daily – by non-alcoholic adults continues to be recommended by some doctors.
The death rates caused by alcoholism are astounding. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that alcoholism causes more than 320,000 deaths per year in the industrialized world, approximately 185,000 in men and 142,000 in women. In developing countries, where rates of alcoholism among the population can be higher, alcohol has been blamed for more than 1.5 million deaths in men and 300,000 in women every year.
Public health officials consider the problem of alcohol consumption particularly acute in central and eastern Europe, where economic troubles and the affordability of highly-concentrated alcohols such as vodka have led to near-epidemic levels of alcoholism.
Some research has suggested that the increase in head and neck cancers in eastern European countries may be partially attributed to rising rates of alcoholism.
If you believe yourself or a loved one to be suffering from alcohol dependency, a 24 hour Alcohol Treatment Referral Hot line can be reached at 1-800-ALCOHOL. Victims of alcoholism are urged to consult their health care professional and seek other treatment options such as Alcoholics Anonymous for support.