According to research you may know that smoking can lead to cancer, but did you also know that drinking alcohol can also lead to cancer? You are not alone – about 7 out 0f 10 people don’t realize that when they drink at least two or three drinks a day can lead to cancer. The alcohol changes the chemical and some physical changes in your body that make it possible for cancer to appear. Researchers have found that about 5% of the worlds cancer related deaths can be connected to the use of alcohol. They found that the more you drink the more chances you have to get cancer.
Some of the areas that cancer from drinking alcohol are:
- Liver – this is where your blood is filtered of toxins, but alcohol is toxic to your liver cells and so it may cause you to have liver cancer.
- Mouth and Throat – the alcohol destroys your cells and if you smoke it is also letting the tobacco chemicals to enter your system.
- Esophagus – this is where your food enters your body and if you drink, the type of cancer you may run the risk of getting is Squamous Cell Carcinoma that attacks the lining.
- Colon and Rectum – men are at a higher risk of getting cancer here but if both men and women are heavy drinkers they have a 44% chance of getting than the non-drinker.
- Breast – cancer risk of the breast in women goes higher the more you drink each week.
You are at a higher risk of getting cancer if you consume more than 4 drinks a day. The measurement of a drink is 1.5oz (shot), 5oz (wine), or 12oz (beer). Some people don’t actually know how much they are drinking in a day. The average cocktail has several shots of alcohol which if you have at least two a day you will be drinking over the moderate level.
Researchers do not know as of now if you were stop drinking if that will lower your risk of getting cancer.
If you are concerned about the level of drinking that you are consuming talk to your doctor.