Cancer Risk Surges When Smoking Mixed With Alcohol
According to new guidance provided by the The Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP), cancer risk increases significantly when smoking and consuming alcohol occur together.
The guide for medics, called “Alcohol and Cancer Risks: A Guide for Health Professionals” states smokers who use alcohol are 30 times more likely to get mouth or throat cancer than those who use tobacco or alcohol alone.
The guide highlights the increased risk of cancers of the lip, mouth, pharynx, larynx and oesophagus.
While welcoming the new guide, Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer Dr Catherine Calderwood said,
Initiatives to raise awareness about cancer and alcohol are really important for our population’s health,” as per BBC.
In 2012, a SHAAP report highlighted that there was no safe level for alcohol use with relation to cancer risk. Since then evidence has been growing clearly showing the link between alcohol and cancer and the fact that any amount of alcohol use is a risk to health.
SHAAP chairman Dr Peter Rice said the new guide will help people to reduce cancer risk.
Research further suggests,
- alcohol use interferes with recovery from cancer,
- breast cancer recurrence is more likely in people who consume more alcohol.
We know that helping people to reduce alcohol intake means helping people to reduce their cancer risk,” said Prof Annie Anderson, chairwoman of the Scottish Cancer Prevention Network, as per BBC.
As cancer rates increase, the need for alcohol intake to decrease becomes increasingly important.”
The new Shaap guidance gives clear messages about positive routes to decrease cancer risks from alcohol consumption for everyone,” added Prof Anderson.
