ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION IS A LEADING preventable cause of cancer, and a study found alcohol-related cancer deaths surged between 1990 and 2021.

Drinking alcohol can increase cancer risk in multiple ways. When the body breaks down ethanol, which is the type of alcohol in alcoholic beverages, it produces acetaldehyde, a toxic chemical that damages DNA and proteins. Heavy alcohol use also can cause genetic mutations, impair tumor suppression and limit the body’s ability to absorb nutrients from food that help protect against cancer. Additionally, alcohol consumption can raise estrogen levels, which elevates breast cancer risk.

Studies have linked alcohol use to increased risk for breast, colorectal, esophageal, lip, liver, mouth and throat cancers. Prior research estimated alcohol-related cancers accounted for about 5% of all cancer diagnoses in the U.S. in 2019.

In a study presented in May 2025 at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting in Chicago, researchers used national cancer data to determine how many alcohol-related cancer deaths occurred annually from 1990 to 2021. They found 11,896 people died from alcohol-related cancers in the U.S. in 1990, and that figure almost doubled to 23,207 in 2021. The study authors said the dramatic increase highlights the need for more efforts aimed at preventing heavy drinking and improving public awareness about the link between alcohol and cancer.

Sources: American Association for Cancer Research Cancer Progress Report 2025, American Society of Clinical Oncology, National Cancer Institute