Alcohol consumption was linked to 4% (741,300) of all new global cancer cases last year (2020), according to a study published July 14 (2021). Men accounted for more than three-quarters of the estimated cases (77% or 568,700 cases), which were mainly linked to risky or heavy drinking. They found that the number of new cancer cases linked to alcohol consumption varied widely across the world, with the highest rates seen in East Asia and Central and Eastern Europe, and the lowest in North Africa and Western Asia. “We urgently need to raise awareness about the link between alcohol consumption and cancer risk among policymakers and the general public,” said study author Harriet Rumgay from the International Agency for Research on Cancer in France, in a press release. The authors point to previous research that found alcohol consumption causes DNA damage and can affect hormone production, which can contribute to cancer development.

Source: thestar July 17, 2021 23:03 UTC