Heavy alcohol consumption has long been linked--either directly or indirectly--to an increased risk for different cancers, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). Alcohol abuse may be responsible for cancers of the esophagus, pharynx, mouth, liver and colon. Breast cancer has also been connected to alcohol consumption by women. The risk of some cancers may increase as alcohol consumption increases. Alcohol abuse may also suppress the immune system, further hindering the body in fighting disease.
Liver
Alcoholism has been linked to liver cancer. It may be that cirrhosis of the liver, a common ailment from prolonged, heavy drinking, helps induce the cancer. More than 80 percent of liver cancer cases are linked to cirrhosis, and alcohol abuse is the leading cause of that disorder, the American Liver Foundation reports.
Throat, Mouth and Esophagus
The heavy consumption of alcohol has been linked with cancers of the esophagus, mouth and throat, the NIAAA says. People who drink large quantities of alcohol have an increased risk for these cancers when compared to people who abstain from drinking. Drinking combined with smoking increases the risk for throat cancers, the National Institutes of Health notes. Excessive consumption of alcohol greatly increases risks for esophagus and mouth cancers.
Breast
Chronic alcohol consumption has long been associated with breast cancer, but recent research shows that breast cancer can be linked to even moderate drinking. Women who drank a half a drink of alcohol a day had a 34 percent increased risk of breast cancer recurrence when compared to women who drank less, according to researchers at the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland, California. The study followed 1,897 breast cancer survivors between 1997 and 2000. Alcohol may affect premenopausal women by increasing estrogen levels that may play a role in breast cancer.
Colon
Colorectal cancer may be caused by heavy alcohol use, according to the American Cancer Society. Alcohol abuse may lead to lower levels of folic acid, a B complex vitamin that helps the liver. A 2004 study at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans found that alcohol consumption is the most important factor in colon cancer. Daily drinking increased the risk of the cancer by 70 percent when compared to nondrinkers.
Other Cancers
Heavy drinking may also lead to stomach cancer, but studies are continuing on this possible connection. Alcohol abuse may also increase the risk for pancreatic cancer. CancerHelp UK reports that seven out of 10 people who have chronic pancreatitis have been long-term, heavy drinkers. Chronic pancreatitis can result in pancreas cancer.
