How alcohol causes liver cancer

Wednesday March 25th, 2015

Drinking three alcoholic drinks per day significantly raises the risk of liver cancer, experts warned today.

Liver cancer has one of the lowest survival rates, just 12% after five years. Based on the new findings, experts believe that 24% of cases in the UK could be prevented by maintaining a healthy weight and not drinking.

The World Cancer Research Fund International's Continuous Update Project analyses research on cancer prevention from around the world. Its newest findings are based on 34 studies of diet, weight, physical activity and liver cancer. The studies included figures on 8.2 million people, including 24,500 with liver cancer.

"Around three or more drinks per day can be enough to cause liver cancer," states Amanda McLean, Director of World Cancer Research Fund UK. "Until now we were uncertain about the amount of alcohol likely to lead to liver cancer. But the research reviewed in this report is strong enough, for the first time, to be more specific about this."

The World Cancer Research Fund now recommends that women should try to limit their intake to one alcoholic drink a day, and two for men. In addition, the Project has found new evidence that being overweight or obese is associated with a raised risk of liver cancer.

Dr Kate Allen of the World Cancer Research Fund International said: "There is a rich body of new evidence that has emerged from this latest report. The new findings around alcohol, obesity and coffee are particularly interesting. There are also interesting new suggestions relating to exercise and fish.

"The evidence about the relationship between diet, nutrition, physical activity and cancer is becoming well established. We hope that these new findings will inform the debate about possible public health implications and policy responses."

The Alcohol Health Alliance UK said the findings showed the need for health warnings to be included on alcohol products.

Its chair Professor Sir Ian Gilmore said: "Alcohol, like tobacco and asbestos, is a class 1 carcinogen and it is totally unacceptable that the public is not provided with such basic information."

He added: “This report also shows that there is no safe level of drinking when it comes to cancer prevention. It’s time for the government to take action to minimise the risk of harm; including ensuring that labels carry mandatory health warnings and lists of ingredients to standards that are developed independently from groups with vested interests."

Tags: Cancer | Diet & Food | Drug & Alcohol Abuse | Fitness | UK News

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