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The U.S. surgeon general has released a new advisory warning of alcohol-related cancer risk.

Dr. Vivek Murthy issued the guidance on Friday following research that has linked alcohol to at least seven types of cancer.

In particular, the advisory notes that alcohol can increase the risk of throat, liver, esophageal, mouth, larynx (voice box), colon and rectal cancers.

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Alcohol consumption has been named as the “third leading preventable cause of cancer” in the country, the advisory noted, with tobacco and obesity taking the top two spots.

“Alcohol is a well-established, preventable cause of cancer responsible for about 100,000 cases of cancer and 20,000 cancer deaths annually in the United States — greater than the 13,500 alcohol-associated traffic crash fatalities per year in the U.S. — yet the majority of Americans are unaware of this risk,” said Murthy in the advisory. 

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“This Advisory lays out steps we can all take to increase awareness of alcohol’s cancer risk and minimize harm.”

4 ways alcohol increases cancer risk

The advisory breaks down four different ways in which cancer can increase cancer risk.

In one mechanism, the alcohol breaks down into a chemical called acetaldehyde, which damages DNA and increases cancer risk.

Dr. Vivek Murthy issued the guidance on Friday following research that has linked alcohol to at least seven types of cancer. (Valerie Plesch/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Alcohol also induces “oxidative stress,” the advisory warns, which damages protein, DNA and cells, and also causes inflammation.

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In a third mechanism, alcohol changes hormone levels, namely estrogen, which can increase the risk of breast cancer. More than 16% of all breast cancer cases have been linked to alcohol, the advisory states.

Finally, cancer creates conditions in which alcohol is more easily absorbed into the body.

“Alcohol is a well-established, preventable cause of cancer responsible for about 100,000 cases of cancer and 20,000 cancer deaths annually in the United States — greater than the 13,500 alcohol-associated traffic crash fatalities per year in the U.S. — yet the majority of Americans are unaware of this risk,” according to an advisory from the U.S. surgeon general. (iStock)

Individual risk for alcohol-related cancers will also depend on “a complex interaction of biological, environmental, social and economic factors,” the same source stated.

Recommendations for reducing risk

In the new advisory, Murthy calls for a warning label to be placed on alcoholic beverages stating that they may increase cancer risk.

“Too many Americans are living with an outdated assumption that some amount of alcohol is not only harmless, but also good for you.”

The advisory also calls for a “reassessment of the guideline limits” for alcohol consumption and encourages people to be cognizant of the risk when deciding how much to consume.

The surgeon general also calls for doctors, health professionals and community groups to emphasize the link between alcohol and cancer to help raise awareness of the risk.

Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Health and Fox News senior medical analyst, applauded Murthy’s advisory.

“Too many Americans are living with an outdated assumption that some amount of alcohol is not only harmless, but also good for you,” he told Fox News Digital. “Increasing evidence shows that isn’t true.”

More than 16% of all breast cancer cases have been linked to alcohol, the advisory states. (iStock)

Though wine and other alcoholic beverages may relieve stress and dilate arteries in the short term, the doctor warned that alcohol is a “proven toxin” with direct links to liver, heart and brain disease. 

“Even though traditional advice has been up to one drink a day for women and two drinks per day for men, in fact, no amount of alcohol is healthy,” Siegel said.

Multiple studies have shown that 25% of people increased their alcohol use during the pandemic, according to Siegel.

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“This was in part because of stress and also because of social isolation — and the numbers have persisted since the pandemic ended,” he said.

“The timing of this advisory is right on the mark.”

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