Alcohol and Carcinoma: How Drinking Increases Cancer Risk

When you drink alcohol, your body breaks it down into acetaldehyde, a toxic chemical that damages DNA and prevents cells from repairing themselves. Also known as ethanol metabolite, this compound is a known carcinogen—and it’s why even moderate drinking raises your cancer risk. It doesn’t matter if you drink wine, beer, or spirits—your liver turns all of it into the same harmful substance. The World Health Organization confirms there’s no safe level of alcohol when it comes to cancer.

Alcohol doesn’t just affect your liver. It increases the risk of at least seven types of carcinoma, a type of cancer that starts in the lining of organs. This includes mouth, throat, voice box, esophagus, liver, colon, and breast cancer. For women, even one drink a day raises breast cancer risk by 5–9%. For men, heavy drinking over years makes liver and esophageal cancers far more likely. The more you drink, the higher the risk—and it doesn’t matter if you’re young or old. DNA damage adds up over time. Alcohol also weakens your immune system, making it harder for your body to fight off early cancer cells. And when you combine alcohol with smoking, the damage multiplies. Someone who drinks and smokes has a risk of mouth and throat cancer that’s 30 times higher than someone who does neither.

It’s not just about quantity—it’s about how your body handles alcohol. Some people have a genetic variation that slows down acetaldehyde breakdown, making them more vulnerable. This is common in East Asian populations, where facial flushing after drinking is a warning sign. But even if you don’t flush, you’re still at risk. Studies tracking hundreds of thousands of people over decades show a clear, consistent link between alcohol and cancer, no matter the lifestyle or diet.

You might hear that red wine is "heart-healthy," but that doesn’t cancel out its cancer risk. No supplement, diet, or exercise can fully undo the DNA damage caused by ethanol. The best way to reduce your risk? Cut back—or stop. The earlier you reduce alcohol intake, the more your body can repair itself. And if you’ve already been diagnosed with cancer, continuing to drink makes treatment less effective and recovery harder.

Below, you’ll find real-world guides and comparisons that break down how alcohol interacts with medications, affects organ health, and worsens conditions linked to cancer. No theory. No hype. Just facts you can use.