The world’s leading cancer research authority has issued a stark warning: alcohol causes cancer, and no amount of drinking is entirely safe.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health Organization, released its sixth Evidence Summary Brief on 8 October 2025. The report reveals that alcohol consumption links to at least seven different cancer types. The findings challenge the widespread belief that moderate consumption is harmless, showing that drinking increases cancer risk even at low levels.

The Global Cancer Burden

In 2020 alone, alcohol contributed to 741,000 new cancer cases worldwide—approximately 4% of all cancer diagnoses that year. Men bore the brunt of this burden, accounting for 78% of alcohol-related cancer cases.

The cancer types most strongly associated with drinking include oesophageal cancer (190,000 cases), liver cancer (155,000 cases), and female breast cancer (98,000 cases). Dr Harriet Rumgay, a scientist in IARC’s Cancer Surveillance Branch, emphasises: “Alcohol consumption is a cause of more than 200 diseases and injuries, including cancer. There is no amount of alcohol intake that is entirely without risk.”

Even Moderate Drinking Poses Risks

Perhaps most concerning is the evidence showing that alcohol causes cancer even at moderate consumption levels. Whilst “risky” drinking (2–6 drinks daily) and “heavy” drinking (over 6 drinks daily) accounted for the majority of cases, even “moderate” drinking posed significant risks. Moderate consumption—defined as fewer than two alcoholic drinks per day—caused more than 100,000 new cancer cases globally in 2020.

The proportions of alcohol-attributable cancers were highest in men from Eastern Asia (9%) and Central and Eastern Europe (8%). For women, Central and Eastern Europe (3%), Australia and New Zealand (3%), and Western Europe (3%) recorded the highest rates.

The Economic Toll

Beyond the devastating health impacts, drinking increases cancer risk with significant economic consequences. In Europe alone, alcohol-related cancer deaths cost approximately €4.6 billion in lost productivity in 2018. Experts suggest this figure likely underestimates the true cost. It excludes losses in unpaid work and healthcare expenses.

Despite Europe having the world’s highest alcohol consumption rates, awareness remains alarmingly low. Less than half of Europeans know that alcohol causes cancer. This highlights a critical gap in public understanding.

Hope Through Policy Action

The evidence summary brings encouraging news: reducing or quitting alcohol consumption lowers the risk of oral cavity and oesophageal cancers. Benefits increase over time. Expert evaluations conducted by IARC in 2023 and 2024 identified several effective interventions for reducing population-level consumption.

Policies proven to work include:

• Increasing taxes, setting minimum prices, or raising the minimum legal purchase age
• Reducing alcohol outlet density and restricting days or hours of sale
• Implementing strong bans on alcohol marketing
• Establishing government alcohol monopolies

A recent modelling study demonstrated that doubling alcohol excise taxes could have prevented 6% of new alcohol-related cancer cases and deaths in Europe in 2019. Female breast cancer and colorectal cancer showed the greatest potential benefit.

Dr Daniela Mariosa, a scientist in IARC’s Evidence Synthesis and Classification Branch, states: “Alcohol policies that increase taxes or prices, decrease availability, or restrict marketing are effective in reducing alcohol consumption.”

A Call for Urgent Action

The Evidence Summary Brief calls for urgent action from governments, civil society, and health professionals. Dr Béatrice Lauby-Secretan, deputy head of the Evidence Synthesis and Classification Branch at IARC, stresses: “Raising awareness about the cancer risks of alcohol and the fact that no level of drinking is safe is critical. Everyone has a role to play in changing the current norms and values surrounding alcohol consumption.”

Alcohol consumption continues to rise in regions including the Americas, the Western Pacific, sub-Saharan Africa, and South-East Asia. The need for evidence-based policies has never been more urgent. Given the generally low levels of alcohol taxation in many European countries, increasing excise duties represents a considerable and underutilised opportunity to reduce the cancer burden.

The message from IARC is unequivocal: alcohol causes cancer, and drinking increases cancer risk at any level. Only through comprehensive policy action and increased public awareness can we hope to reduce the preventable suffering caused by alcohol-related cancers.

Source: dbreocveryresources