Alcohol is one of the most widely used substances in the world. Many people enjoy drinking because it is part of social traditions, family gatherings, and celebrations.
At the same time, alcohol is a major public health concern. It has been linked to injuries, liver disease, heart problems, and several types of cancer. According to the World Health Organization, alcohol is already known to increase the risk of at least seven forms of cancer. A new study now suggests that pancreatic cancer should also be included on that list.
The study was led by researchers at the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research at the University of Victoria and was published in the International Journal of Alcohol and Drug Research. The researchers say that growing evidence points to alcohol as a cause of pancreatic cancer and that their study provides important new support for this conclusion.
Pancreatic cancer is particularly frightening because it is often discovered late. The pancreas is a small organ located behind the stomach that helps digest food and control blood sugar levels.
Cancer in this organ frequently produces few symptoms in its early stages. By the time it is diagnosed, it has often spread to other parts of the body, making treatment much more difficult. In Canada, only about one in eight people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer survive for five years after diagnosis.
The researchers examined evidence from many earlier studies that followed large groups of people over time. These studies recorded how much alcohol participants consumed and whether they later developed pancreatic cancer. By combining information from many studies, the researchers were able to look for overall patterns that may not be obvious in smaller studies.
One of the most important parts of the research involved addressing a problem known as former drinker bias. This happens when people who used to drink heavily but later stopped are counted as non-drinkers.
Many former drinkers quit because of health concerns, yet the effects of years of alcohol use may continue long after they stop drinking. Including these individuals with lifelong non-drinkers can make alcohol seem less harmful than it actually is.
The researchers carefully separated former drinkers from people who rarely or never drank alcohol. They also adjusted for other factors that can affect cancer risk, including age, smoking, and socioeconomic differences. Once these factors were taken into account, the results showed a clear relationship between alcohol consumption and pancreatic cancer risk.
People who drank more than 24 grams of alcohol each day, which is slightly less than two standard Canadian drinks, had a 10 percent to 30 percent higher risk of developing pancreatic cancer.
The findings showed that risk increased as alcohol intake increased, suggesting that greater exposure to alcohol may gradually raise the likelihood of developing this disease.
Scientists still do not fully understand all of the biological processes involved. However, alcohol can damage cells in several ways.
It can lead to long-term inflammation, increase harmful molecules that damage tissues, and interfere with normal cell repair processes. Over many years, these changes may increase the chances that healthy pancreatic cells become cancerous.
The study arrives at a time when public awareness of alcohol-related cancer risks remains relatively low. Many people are aware of the dangers of smoking but do not realize that alcohol can also contribute to cancer.
The researchers believe that better public understanding is needed because pancreatic cancer is highly aggressive and often has very poor outcomes.
In analyzing the findings, this study strengthens the argument that pancreatic cancer should be recognized as an alcohol-related cancer. The researchers used careful methods and addressed an important weakness that affected many earlier studies.
Although the increased risk associated with moderate drinking may not seem dramatic, the deadly nature of pancreatic cancer means that even modest increases in risk are meaningful at the population level.
The findings also remind us that the health effects of alcohol can accumulate quietly over time and that informed choices about drinking may play an important role in reducing cancer risk.
If you care about cancer, please read studies that artificial sweeteners are linked to higher cancer risk, and how drinking milk affects risks of heart disease and cancer.
For more health information, please see recent studies about the best time to take vitamins to prevent heart disease, and results showing vitamin D supplements strongly reduces cancer death.
Source: University of Victoria.
