Drinking even small amounts of alcohol may sharply raise the risk of mouth cancer in India, especially when combined with chewing tobacco.
A major study published in BMJ Global Health looked at data from thousands of people and found that drinking just one standard drink per day—about 9 grams of alcohol—was linked to a 50% higher risk of a type of mouth cancer called buccal mucosa cancer. The risk was even higher among people who drank locally made alcoholic drinks.
Mouth cancer is a serious health problem in India. It is the second most common cancer in the country, with nearly 144,000 new cases and about 80,000 deaths each year. Most of these cancers affect the soft tissue inside the cheeks and lips. Sadly, fewer than half of patients survive for more than five years after being diagnosed.
In India, both alcohol and tobacco use are common, especially in rural areas. Many people use smokeless tobacco and drink local alcoholic beverages, some of which may contain dangerous chemicals. Until now, it has been difficult to tell exactly how alcohol and tobacco each affect cancer risk, especially when used together.
To study this issue, researchers compared 1,803 people with buccal mucosa cancer to 1,903 people without the disease. These participants came from five different research centers in India and were studied between 2010 and 2021. Most were between the ages of 35 and 54, but nearly half of the cancer cases occurred in people as young as 25 to 45 years old.
Participants answered questions about their drinking habits and tobacco use. They reported how long they had been drinking, how often, and what kinds of drinks they used. The list included 11 international drinks like beer, whisky, vodka, and rum, as well as 30 types of local brews such as desi daru, mahua, bangla, and apong.
The results were clear. People who drank alcohol regularly had a much higher chance of getting mouth cancer. Compared to people who didn’t drink, those who did had a 68% higher risk. The risk rose to 72% for those who preferred international drinks, and to 87% for those who mainly drank local brews.
Even tiny amounts of alcohol made a difference. People who drank less than 2 grams of beer per day still had a higher risk. Just one standard drink per day was linked to a 50% greater chance of cancer.
Using alcohol and tobacco together was especially harmful. People who used both had more than four times the risk of developing mouth cancer. Researchers believe that alcohol may damage the lining of the mouth, making it easier for harmful substances in tobacco to cause cancer.
The study estimates that about 11.5% of mouth cancer cases in India can be blamed on alcohol alone. In some states like Meghalaya, Assam, and Madhya Pradesh, that number goes up to 14%. Even more concerning, the combination of alcohol and chewing tobacco may account for nearly two-thirds—about 62%—of all buccal mucosa cancers in India.
The researchers also raised concerns about local alcoholic drinks, which are often unregulated and may contain toxic chemicals like methanol or acetaldehyde. Some of these drinks were found to have up to 90% alcohol content.
Because there are no strict safety rules, people who drink these products may be exposed to dangerous levels of harmful substances.
In conclusion, the study strongly suggests there is no safe level of alcohol use when it comes to mouth cancer risk. Public health experts say that cutting down or completely avoiding both alcohol and tobacco could greatly reduce the number of mouth cancer cases in India.
Taking action now could save many lives and help prevent this deadly disease from continuing to rise.
If you care about alcoholism, please read studies that your age may decide whether alcohol is good or bad for you, and people over 40 need to prevent dangerous alcohol/drug interactions.
For more information about alcohol, please see recent studies about moderate alcohol drinking linked to high blood pressure, and results showing this drug combo shows promise for treating alcoholism.
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