The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has issued a stark warning in its sixth Evidence Summary Brief, identifying alcohol as a leading preventable cause of cancer worldwide. Despite rising awareness of public health risks, alcohol consumption is increasing in multiple regions. These regions include the Americas, sub-Saharan Africa, the Western Pacific, and South-East Asia.
Europe remains the region with the highest consumption levels. Nonetheless, awareness there is alarmingly low. Fewer than half of Europeans know that alcohol can cause cancer.
The IARC report compiles key evidence on the global burden of cancer attributable to alcohol. It also details its economic cost. Additionally, it outlines effective policy measures to reduce this burden. It concludes with a strong call for governments and health organizations to take urgent action.
Key Evidence: Alcohol Increases Risk of Seven Cancer Types
Alcoholic beverages were classified as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1) by IARC as early as 1988. The new summary reinforces that link, emphasizing that drinking alcohol increases the risk of at least seven cancer types and is responsible for about 4% of all new cancer cases globally every year.
Among the key messages of the report:
- Even low levels of alcohol consumption increase cancer risk.
- Alcohol-related cancer deaths cost approximately €4.6 billion in lost productivity annually in the European Union.
- Reducing or quitting alcohol lowers the risk of developing alcohol-related cancers.
- Effective policies, such as higher taxes and marketing restrictions, significantly reduce alcohol consumption.
“Alcohol consumption is a cause of more than 200 diseases and injuries, including cancer,” said Dr. Harriet Rumgay from IARC’s Cancer Surveillance Branch. “Reducing alcohol intake reduces cancer risk. There is no amount of alcohol intake that is entirely without risk.”
Global Cancer Burden and Economic Costs
In 2020, alcohol consumption was linked to an estimated 741,000 new cancer cases globally — representing 4% of all new cancer diagnoses. Men accounted for over three-quarters (78%) of this burden.
The most common alcohol-attributable cancers were:
- Oesophageal cancer: 190,000 cases
- Liver cancer: 155,000 cases
- Female breast cancer: 98,000 cases
The highest proportions of alcohol-related cancers were found in men from Eastern Asia (9%) and Central and Eastern Europe (8%), and in women from Central and Eastern Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Western Europe (each 3%). Rates were lowest in Northern Africa and Western Asia, with less than 1%.
Even moderate drinking — defined as fewer than two drinks per day — accounted for over 100,000 new cancer cases globally in 2020. Risky and heavy drinking contributed to the majority of alcohol-linked cancers.
The economic impact is equally staggering. Alcohol-related cancer deaths cost Europe roughly €4.6 billion in lost productivity in 2018. This figure excludes healthcare expenses and unpaid labor losses, meaning the true economic toll is likely far higher.
Cutting Alcohol Use Reduces Cancer Risk
In 2023, IARC experts reviewed scientific data and confirmed that reducing or quitting alcohol significantly lowers the risk of oral cavity and oesophageal cancers. The longer a person abstains, the lower their risk becomes. While evidence for other cancer types is less robust, the trend remains clear: cutting alcohol use reduces cancer incidence.
Effective Policies to Reduce Alcohol Consumption
A 2024 IARC expert group evaluated the effectiveness of various policy measures in curbing alcohol consumption at the population level. The following interventions were found to be most effective:
- Increasing taxes, setting minimum prices, or raising the minimum legal drinking age.
- Reducing alcohol outlet density and restricting sales days or hours.
- Implementing comprehensive bans on alcohol marketing.
- Establishing government alcohol monopolies or enforcing total bans on sales.
A recent modeling study conducted in collaboration with IARC found that doubling alcohol excise taxes could have prevented 6% of new alcohol-related cancer cases and deaths in Europe in 2019. The largest potential benefits were seen for breast and colorectal cancers.
Given that alcohol taxes remain low across much of Europe, IARC argues that increasing excise duties represents a major untapped opportunity to reduce alcohol consumption and associated cancer risks.
“Alcohol policies that increase taxes or prices, decrease availability, or restrict marketing are effective in reducing alcohol consumption,” said Dr. Daniela Mariosa from IARC’s Evidence Synthesis and Classification Branch.
A Global Call to Action
The Evidence Summary Brief concludes with a direct appeal for global action. Drawing from the latest research, IARC urges governments, civil society, and health professionals to adopt strong, evidence-based policies that limit alcohol’s availability, affordability, and appeal.
“Raising awareness about the cancer risks of alcohol and the fact that no level of drinking is safe is critical,” said Dr. Béatrice Lauby-Secretan, deputy head of the Evidence Synthesis and Classification Branch at IARC. “Everyone has a role to play in changing the current norms and values surrounding alcohol consumption.”
The message is clear: alcohol is not just a lifestyle choice — it is a significant global health threat. Reducing consumption through informed policy and public awareness can save lives, prevent cancers, and lessen the global economic burden of disease.
