Yearly cancer deaths linked to alcohol have doubled in the United States over the last three decades, rising from just under 12,000 a year in 1990 to more than 23,000 a year in 2021, new research finds. The increase was driven by deaths in men 55 and older, the study authors said. U.S. cancer deaths overall have fallen by about 35% over the same time period, according to data from the American Cancer Society. The findings will be presented next week at the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s annual meeting in Chicago and have not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal.
Alcohol-related cancer deaths in the United States have doubled over the past 30 years, with a disproportionate impact on men and individuals aged 55 and older. It rose from below 12,000 in 1990 to more than 23,000 in 2021. These findings will be presented next week at the American Society of Clinical Oncology's annual meeting in Chicago and is yet to be published in a peer-reviewed journal. For the study, the researchers analysed national death rates attributable to alcohol use between 1990 to 2021. Speaking to ABC News, Dr. Chinmay Jani, the study's lead author and a clinical fellow in haematology and oncology at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center said, "We already know other risk factors, such as tobacco, for cancer. However, it is very important to know that alcohol is also a risk factor and can be a carcinogen in many different cancers."
Alcohol-associated cancer deaths in the U.S. doubled from 1990 to 2021, study finds. Washington, D.C., had the highest alcohol-related mortality rate across both sexes. Utah had the lowest. The study will be presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology 2025.
Alcohol-linked cancer deaths have doubled in the U.S. in the past 30 years. The study relied on self-reported drinking habits, which can have some inaccuracies. It doesn't necessarily mean that you are drinking every day, Dr. Chinmay Jani explained.