Just Two Beers a Day With Meals? Colorectal and Rectal Cancer Risk Significantly Increased

Consuming 14 or More Drinks Per Week
Raises Rectal Cancer Risk by Up to 95%

The more alcohol you consume, the greater your risk of developing colorectal cancer. In particular, those who engage in heavy drinking have up to a 95% higher risk of rectal cancer compared to light drinkers.

A research team led by Dr. Erika Loftfield of the U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI) recently reported in the American Cancer Society (ACS) journal CANCER that, after tracking over 88,000 individuals without a history of cancer for 20 years, they confirmed a strong association between lifetime alcohol consumption and the risk of developing colorectal cancer.

This study was conducted on 88,092 American adults who participated in the NCI Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial. The researchers analyzed the participants' lifetime drinking habits and subsequent incidence of colorectal cancer, focusing on those who had no cancer diagnosis at the start of the study.

The average lifetime alcohol consumption was calculated as the average number of drinks per week from age 18 until the start of the study. The research team categorized participants as either former or current drinkers. Current drinkers were further divided into light drinkers (less than one drink per week), moderate drinkers (at least 7 but less than 14 drinks per week), and heavy drinkers (14 or more drinks per week). During the follow-up period, there were 1,679 new cases of colorectal cancer.

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The analysis found that heavy drinkers, who consumed an average of 14 or more drinks per week, had a 25% higher risk of developing colorectal cancer and up to a 95% higher risk of rectal cancer compared to light drinkers who had less than one drink per week. Notably, those who consistently engaged in heavy drinking throughout adulthood had a 91% higher risk of colorectal cancer than those who consistently drank lightly. In contrast, no evidence of increased colorectal cancer risk was observed among former drinkers who had quit alcohol.

The research team explained that, although the data is limited, it suggests that quitting alcohol may reduce the risk of colorectal cancer. Dr. Loftfield stated, "This study is one of the first to examine the association between lifetime alcohol consumption and the risk of colorectal adenoma and colorectal cancer," adding, "It is encouraging to find that the risk of colorectal cancer among former drinkers may return to the level of light drinkers."

The team noted that while previous studies have established an association between alcohol consumption and increased colorectal cancer risk, few have analyzed drinking habits across the entire lifespan. They emphasized the significance of this study, which more clearly demonstrates that higher lifetime alcohol consumption is associated with a greater risk of colorectal cancer, with the association being particularly pronounced for rectal cancer.