Alcohol consumption is a major driver of cancer across Europe, according to a new report from the World Health Organization’s (WHO) cancer research arm, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). The agency urges governments to strengthen policies that limit alcohol use, saying such actions could prevent thousands of cancer cases and deaths each year.
In 2020, alcohol caused more than 111,000 new cancer cases in the European Union—the region with the highest alcohol consumption globally. Worldwide, alcohol use was linked to an estimated 741,000 cancer cases, with men representing nearly 70% of those affected.
Beyond its health impact, the economic burden is also immense. WHO estimates that premature deaths from alcohol-related cancers cost Europe €4.58 billion in 2018.
“The WHO European Region, and especially EU countries, are paying too high a price for alcohol—in preventable cancers, broken families, and billions lost to taxpayers,” said Dr. Gundo Weiler, head of prevention and health promotion at WHO’s European office. “Some call alcohol a ‘cultural heritage,’ but disease, death, and disability should not be normalized as part of European culture.”
Alcohol and Cancer: The Connection
Alcohol was first classified as a carcinogen by IARC in 1988. It is now known to increase the risk of at least seven cancers, including those of the mouth, throat, larynx, esophagus, liver, colon, and female breast.
Researchers have identified several biological mechanisms behind alcohol’s carcinogenic effects, including DNA damage caused by oxidative stress and acetaldehyde (a toxic byproduct of ethanol), as well as hormonal changes and disruptions to the gut microbiome.
While heavy and risky drinking (two or more drinks per day) account for most alcohol-related cancers, even moderate consumption—less than two drinks daily—was responsible for over 100,000 new cancer cases globally in 2020.
Policy Measures to Reduce Risk
This new analysis is the first time IARC has evaluated how alcohol-control policies can prevent cancer. The agency concludes that stronger, population-wide measures effectively reduce alcohol consumption—and thus cancer risk.
Recommended strategies include increasing alcohol taxes, setting minimum pricing, raising the legal drinking age, restricting sales and advertising, and introducing state-controlled retail systems.
Evidence suggests that such measures work. For instance, a 2021 study found that doubling alcohol excise taxes could have prevented around 6% of new alcohol-related cancer cases and deaths in 2019 across the WHO European region.
“Raising awareness about alcohol’s cancer risks and the fact that no level of drinking is safe is essential,” said Dr. Béatrice Lauby-Secretan, deputy head of IARC’s evidence synthesis and classification branch. “Everyone has a role in changing the norms and values surrounding alcohol consumption.”
