Study: Alcohol Increases Risk for Seven Types of Cancer

The American Institute for Cancer Research found that alcohol increases the risk of developing seven different types of cancer, including breast, mouth, lung, throat, and rectal cancer.

The study was conducted at the University of Otago in New Zealand over ten years, and its findings leave no room for doubt: alcohol consumers, even light ones, are at a higher risk of cancer compared to non-drinkers.

For decades, many studies have focused on whether cancer is solely a genetic fate or also a result of unhealthy lifestyles. A study by researchers from Harvard University in the U.S. and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston provides a clear answer: there is a strong link between lifestyle and the risk of cancer.

Research published about a year ago in the British Journal of Cancer indicates that more than four out of ten cancer cases can be prevented through lifestyle changes. Researchers explain that in the UK alone, nearly 600,000 cancer cases could have been prevented in the last five years through healthier lifestyles.

The conclusion from the studies is that maintaining a healthy lifestyle is essential to reducing the likelihood of developing cancer. Quitting smoking, avoiding alcohol, maintaining a normal body weight, and engaging in regular physical activity are the recipes for a longer, healthier life. Emphasizing a healthy diet, reducing stress, ensuring a good night's sleep, drinking water, taking supplements if necessary, and more can further reduce cancer morbidity and mortality rates.