Jürgen Rehm1,2,3,4,5,6,7, Kevin D Shield8,9,10. 1. Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy & Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Longitudinal Studies, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany, jtrehm@gmail.com. 2. Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, jtrehm@gmail.com. 3. Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, jtrehm@gmail.com. 4. Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, jtrehm@gmail.com. 5. Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, jtrehm@gmail.com. 6. Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, jtrehm@gmail.com. 7. Department of International Health Projects, Institute for Leadership and Health Management, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russian Federation, jtrehm@gmail.com. 8. Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 9. Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 10. Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Cancers constitute a major non-communicable disease category globally and in the European Union (EU). SUMMARY: Alcohol use has been established as a major cause of cancer in humans. Principal cancer agencies agree that the following cancer sites are causally impacted by alcohol: lip and oral cavity, pharynx (excluding nasopharynx), oesophagus, colon and rectum, liver, (female) breast, and larynx. For all of these cancer sites, there is a dose-response relationship with no apparent threshold: the higher the average level of consumption, the higher the risk of cancer incidence. In the EU in 2016, about 80,000 people died of alcohol-attributable cancer, and about 1.9 million years of life were lost due to premature mortality or due to disability. Key messages: Given the above-described impact of alcohol on cancer, public awareness about the alcohol-cancer link needs to be increased. In addition, effective alcohol policy measures should be implemented. As a large part of alcohol-attributable cancers are in low and moderate alcohol users, in particular for females, general population measures such as increases in taxation, restrictions on availability, and bans on marketing and advertisement are best suited to reduce the alcohol-attributable cancer burden.
BACKGROUND:Cancers constitute a major non-communicable disease category globally and in the European Union (EU). SUMMARY:Alcohol use has been established as a major cause of cancer in humans. Principal cancer agencies agree that the following cancer sites are causally impacted by alcohol: lip and oral cavity, pharynx (excluding nasopharynx), oesophagus, colon and rectum, liver, (female) breast, and larynx. For all of these cancer sites, there is a dose-response relationship with no apparent threshold: the higher the average level of consumption, the higher the risk of cancer incidence. In the EU in 2016, about 80,000 people died of alcohol-attributable cancer, and about 1.9 million years of life were lost due to premature mortality or due to disability. Key messages: Given the above-described impact of alcohol on cancer, public awareness about the alcohol-cancer link needs to be increased. In addition, effective alcohol policy measures should be implemented. As a large part of alcohol-attributable cancers are in low and moderate alcohol users, in particular for females, general population measures such as increases in taxation, restrictions on availability, and bans on marketing and advertisement are best suited to reduce the alcohol-attributable cancer burden.
Authors: Pol Rovira; Carolin Kilian; Maria Neufeld; Harriet Rumgay; Isabelle Soerjomataram; Carina Ferreira-Borges; Kevin D Shield; Bundit Sornpaisarn; Jürgen Rehm Journal: Eur Addict Res Date: 2020-12-03 Impact factor: 3.015
Authors: I A T van de Luitgaarden; A E Bardach; N Espinola; I C Schrieks; D E Grobbee; J W J Beulens Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2022-01-18 Impact factor: 3.295
Authors: Andreas Staudt; Jennis Freyer-Adam; Christian Meyer; Gallus Bischof; Ulrich John; Sophie Baumann Journal: JMIR Public Health Surveill Date: 2022-06-30