Alcohol and Cancer

By HelloLife

Cancer is one of the most feared diseases in the country. It is estimated that 526,000 Americans are killed by cancer each year. That statistic places cancer second on the list of death causes, after heart disease. Lung cancer, bowel cancer, and breast cancer are the most common forms. Studies show that approximately two to four percent of all cancer cases are linked to alcohol consumption, both directly and indirectly. In particular, heavy alcohol drinking is thought to increase the risk of cancer.

Cancer Defined

When cells grow out of control, they can form masses and/or tumors that destroy the normal tissue of the body. This is the definition of cancer, a group of diseases that develop outside of the normal tissue regulation. Initiation, promotion, and progression are the three stages of cancer. The initiation stage of cancer happens when a cell's DNA is changed, triggering a divide that causes the cell to reproduce indefinitely. Initial mutations of the cell genes or carcinogens, cancer-causing agents, are responsible for the change, which is irreversible. The mutations can also take place in genes that promote cell division, oncogenes, or genes that suppress cell division, otherwise called, suppressor genes. For this reason, cancer is associated with the over-promotion or under-suppression of the cell reproduction itself. Cancer promotion provides stimulation for the initiated cell to divide. The form of stimulus could be a carcinogen or natural, such as when new cells are needed in tissue damage. In cancer progression, the tumors spread to other areas of the body and form secondary types of cancer.

The Effect of Alcohol on Cancer

Research indicates a distinct association between alcohol and cancers that kill over 125,000 people every year. These cancers include esophagus, pharynx, and mouth, where the most obvious link to alcohol has been reported. According to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), approximately, "75 percent of esophageal cancers in the United States are attributable to chronic, excessive alcohol consumption." The NIAAA continues to explain that, "nearly 50 percent of cancers of the mouth, pharynx, and larynx are associated with heavy drinking." If a person drinks and smokes, the risk of those cancers significantly increases. There is little to no doubt that heavy drinkers of alcohol are much more likely to develop the upper digestive tract cancers than those that do not drink. Liver cirrhosis is the perceived cause of liver cancer. Alcohol is a possible cause of cirrhosis, and up to 36% of the liver cancer cases in the country have been traced to excessive alcohol consumption. In general, the United States has a relatively low occurrence of liver cancer as about 2 out of every 100,000 people are thought to suffer from it. Because of the way alcohol leads to a rise in estrogen levels in women, it might have an indirect part in breast cancer. A smaller, but consistent connection was made for alcohol consumption and colon or colorectal cancer that is dependent on the dose amount. Drinking only two alcoholic beverages a day cancels out any of the healthy diet choices made to prevent colon cancer. The links between alcohol and stomach, pancreas, and lung cancers are confounded by inconclusive data. It appears that alcohol has not been proven to be a carcinogen by itself, but it can enhance the carcinogenic effects of certain chemicals. Also, alcohol has a negative effect on nutrition and removes essential vitamins and nutrients needed to protect the body against cancer. A person that eats correctly and drinks alcohol regularly is simply trying to "break even." When it comes to something as important as staying healthy, these kinds of compromises do not work.

Sources:

http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aa21.htm

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/alcoholism/DS00340

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/alcoholism/DS00340/DSECTION=lifestyle-and-home-remedies