Deep Links Between Alcohol and Cancer Are Described in New Report

September 18, 2024

several bottles of liquor

(New York Times) – Scientists continue to rethink the idea that moderate drinking offers health benefits.

Adults under age 50 have been developing breast cancer and colorectal cancer at increasingly higher rates over the last few decades, and alcohol use may be one factor driving the trend, according to a scientific report published on Wednesday.

The report, by the American Association for Cancer Research, highlights scientific breakthroughs that have led to new anticancer drugs and improved overall survival.

But the authors also described a troubling pattern: Even as cancer death rates have declined, the overall incidence of several cancers has been rising inexplicably, with an especially alarming increase among younger adults in cancers of the gastrointestinal system, like colorectal cancer. (Read more)