Cancer deaths associated with alcohol consumption have increased dramatically in the United States over the past three decades, according to new research that highlights the growing impact of drinking on public health.
A study led by researchers at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami found that annual alcohol-attributable cancer deaths in the country climbed from 11,361 in 1990 to 23,126 in 2023. The analysis examined more than 30 years of data from the Global Burden of Disease study and was published in The Lancet Regional Health – Americas.
The findings indicate that alcohol’s contribution to cancer mortality extends well beyond liver disease. Researchers identified links between alcohol consumption and several cancers, including those affecting the breast, colorectum, esophagus, pancreas, prostate, stomach, liver, and head and neck.
Men and adults aged 55 and older experienced the greatest overall burden, although increases were reported across most age groups, cancer categories and regions. Researchers said the results demonstrate that alcohol-associated cancer is not confined to one demographic or a single type of disease.
The pattern varied between men and women. Among men aged 55 and older, liver cancer represented the largest alcohol-attributable cancer mortality burden, followed by esophageal and colorectal cancers. Breast cancer was the leading alcohol-related cancer cause of death among older women.
Younger adults also showed concerning patterns. For men between 20 and 54, colorectal cancer was the leading alcohol-attributable cause of cancer death. Among women in the same age range, breast cancer ranked first, followed by colorectal cancer.
The researchers emphasized that alcohol is a recognized carcinogen. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies alcohol as a Group 1 carcinogen, a category used for substances with established evidence of causing cancer in humans. Alcohol’s cancer risks are therefore not limited to the consequences of heavy or prolonged drinking.
The latest findings come amid growing attention to the amount of alcohol that may contribute to cancer risk. Federal health authorities have previously estimated that alcohol is responsible for tens of thousands of cancer cases and deaths in the United States each year. The U.S. Surgeon General has also identified alcohol consumption as an important preventable cancer risk factor.
Researchers say the connection remains poorly understood by many members of the public. Alcohol is often discussed in relation to liver damage, but its potential role in breast, colorectal, esophageal, pancreatic and other cancers receives considerably less attention.
The study’s authors argue that greater awareness could help people make more informed decisions about alcohol consumption. Because drinking is a potentially modifiable risk factor, reducing alcohol intake may form part of broader efforts to lower cancer risk.
The researchers also noted significant geographic differences across the United States, indicating that alcohol-attributable cancer mortality does not affect every area equally. Nevertheless, the national increase provides a broader warning about the changing scale of alcohol-associated cancer mortality.
The rise from 11,361 alcohol-attributable cancer deaths in 1990 to more than 23,000 in 2023 represents a substantial increase over a single generation. While overall cancer mortality trends can be influenced by many factors, researchers say the findings underscore the importance of recognizing alcohol as part of the cancer-prevention conversation.
As awareness of lifestyle-related cancer risks continues to grow, the study adds to evidence that alcohol should be considered alongside other established and potentially preventable contributors to cancer.