US Surgeon General says alcohol should carry cancer warning label

talking with npr morning edition Regarding his latest advice, Dr. Murthy said that even moderate alcohol consumption is linked to Increased risk of seven types of cancer-Including mouth, throat, larynx, esophagus, breast, liver, colon and rectum cancers. They also say that alcohol directly contributes 100,000 cancer cases and 20,000 related cancer deaths More specifically, 1 in 6 breast cancer cases each year may be linked to alcohol consumption. While most cancer deaths are related to heavy drinking (i.e., more than the recommended daily amount), Dr. Murthy says cancers of the throat, mouth, and breast may increase with one or less drink per day.

“Many people believe that as long as they are drinking at or below the current guideline limits of one (alcohol drink) a day for women and two (alcohol drink) a day for men, they should have no There is no threat to their health or well-being,” Dr. Murthy said in the interview. But “the data do not confirm a cancer risk,” he adds.

For decades, medical professionals have repeatedly stated the health risks associated with alcohol consumption. While organizations like Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has long known about the potential relationship between alcohol, cancer, and other negative health outcomes. US Dietary Guidelines for Americans One to two alcoholic drinks per day or less are still recommended, and prior studies have indicated that moderate alcohol consumption can potentially reduce the risk of diseases. cardiovascular disease¹-This number one cause of death In the United States.

However, recent studies also refute this, finding that heavy and moderate drinking can increase certain heart conditions² Such as irregular heartbeat (ie, a type of irregular heartbeat).

Dr. Murthy’s recent advice comes with an overview of the last two decades of research and studies – including a decade global studies 28 million people from 195 countries are included – all of whom have been found to have a higher risk of cancer than alcohol consumption. But will any new warning labels come into effect? (And should we still be concerned?)

We probably won’t see any new labels anytime soon

Despite Dr. Murthy sounding the alarm on this issue, it’s unlikely we’ll see an updated warning label on alcoholic beverages any time soon. For one, Congress is the only institution that can mandate this label update, and current label on wine (which warns against drinking, driving and causing health problems while pregnant) has not been changed since it was adopted in 1988. Second reason? There is often a lot of opposition to label updates from the alcohol industry as a whole.

Also, there are some marginal reviews (like this one from here). National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Commissioned by Congress) that cites a slight increase in breast cancer from alcohol consumption but no clear link with other cancers, which could hinder passage of any type of mandate.

So, should we be worried?

This warning should be exactly that—a warning. Not everyone who drinks alcohol in moderation will get cancer, and Dr. Murthy emphasizes that as alcohol consumption increases, a person’s risk increases. Additionally, each person’s risk of cancer varies depending on things like family history, genetics, and exposure carcinogen (cancer-causing substances) in your daily environment and overall health condition.

Ultimately, “if a person drinks alcohol occasionally for special events, or if you’re drinking one or two drinks a week, your risk is likely to be much lower than if you drink every day,” Dr. Murthy. They say. It is always advisable to limit alcohol for overall health and well-being.