Reducing alcohol use to prevent cancer deaths: Estimated effects on U.S. adults – A new Centers of Disease Control and Prevention study, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, found that more than 20,000 alcohol-related cancer deaths occurred each year during 2020-2021. Alcohol use increases the risk of several types of cancer. Our body breaks down alcohol into a chemical called acetaldehyde, which damages human DNA and prevents our body from repairing the damage. Cells can then begin growing out of control and create a cancerous tumor. Preventing excessive alcohol use, including implementing certain policies, could decrease alcohol use and thus reduce related cancers.
