A new study has found that in the past thirty years, the number of alcohol-related cancer deaths in the United States has doubled annually, from less than 12,000 people in 1990 to over 23,000 people in 2021.
The increase in deaths is mainly driven by those aged 55 and older.
According to data from the American Cancer Society, during the same period, overall cancer death rates in the United States have decreased by approximately 35%.
These research findings will be presented at the upcoming American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting in Chicago next week, but have not yet been published in peer-reviewed journals.
The study primarily focused on seven alcohol-related cancers: breast cancer, liver cancer, colorectal cancer, throat cancer, vocal cord cancer, oral cancer, and esophageal cancer. While alcohol is not the sole culprit for all of these cancers, it has been proven to be a contributing factor for some.
In 1991, 2.5% of male cancer deaths and 1.46% of female cancer deaths were attributed to alcohol. By 2021, these percentages had risen to 4.2% for males and 1.85% for females.
During the same period, the number of males dying from alcohol-related cancers increased by 56%, while females saw an increase of nearly 8%.
Dr. Chinmay Jani, co-lead of the study and Chief Hematology and Oncology Researcher at the University of Miami’s Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, stated, “It’s not surprising that the percentage of males with alcohol-related cancer is higher than females, but what’s truly surprising is how much higher it is for males compared to females.”
However, drinking habits seem to be changing. The research shows that in recent years, more and more women are becoming heavy drinkers, with slightly more young women being heavy drinkers compared to men.
Those aged 55 and above have the highest cancer death rates. Among men in this age group, the number of alcohol-related cancer deaths has increased by over 1% annually from 2007 to 2021.
Liver cancer, colorectal cancer, and esophageal cancer had the highest number of deaths in 2021 among all seven alcohol-related cancers. Liver cancer was especially common in men, while breast cancer was more prevalent in women.
Reference: This article is based on a report by NBC News.