The good news? Alcohol belongs on the list of cancer risks a person can change.

The bad news? Cancer rates linked to alcohol use have doubled since 1990, says a new study from the University of Miami. Men and adults over age 55 shouldered the greatest disease burden. But younger people were not exempt. “Notably, among adults aged 20 to 54, colorectal cancer was the leading cause of alcohol-attributable cancer mortality in men and the second leading cause in women, surpassing liver cancer in both groups,” Dr. Jani, corresponding author of the study, said.

It appears as if individual cancer rates rise as consumption rises, though researchers note that even low consumption can still raise the risk of some cancers, such as breast cancer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer considers alcohol a Group 1 carcinogen, placing it in the same category as tobacco smoke and asbestos.

Still, the cancer risk associated with alcohol use is not well-known by the general public. The association between smoking and cancer has had a multi-decade education campaign. A 2019 survey from the American Institute for Cancer Research found that, while 89% of American adults know that tobacco raises the risk of cancer, only 45% know that alcohol does as well.  

Geographically, Washington, D.C., had the unsavory distinction of the highest alcohol-attributable cancer mortality rates in 2023, the latest date available, from the same study. (Utah had the fewest.) The findings are of special interest to the state of Florida, home of the study authors, because of the large population of older people. But anyone hoping to reduce their cancer risk by drinking less or not at all should take note. 

The study was modeled using the Global Burden of Disease database. This global database is housed at the University of Washington, and the alcohol study researchers estimated drinking patterns using surveys, alcohol supply figures, and algorithms. They applied this data against known cancer deaths and previous studies. So, the drinking figures were modeled, not the result of tracking individual drinking habits. The benefit of this kind of study is the scale at which patterns can be observed. 

Gilberto Lopes, M.D., senior author of the study, said,

What this study makes clear is that alcohol-related cancer risk is not limited to one disease or one group of people. As physicians and cancer researchers, we have an opportunity to help patients understand that alcohol is a modifiable risk factor and that even small, informed changes can be part of a broader strategy to reduce cancer risk in our community.

To modify or eliminate drinking, we need to first look at what drives addiction (displacement) and then work out what we want to do instead in response to stress.

It is time to update the song. If there are 99 bottles of beer on the wall, it is time to take one down, pass it around, and dump the contents down the sink! You’ll reduce your cancer risk with each one you don’t drink.

Written by Katie McCaskey. First published September 22, 2026.

Sources:

“Alcohol-attributable cancer mortality in the United States, 1990–2023: a secondary analysis of Global Burden of Disease data,” The Lancet, September 02, 2026.

“Alcohol-linked cancer deaths have doubled in recent decades. What to know about risk,” The Washington Post, September 11, 2026.

“U.S. Cancer Deaths Linked to Alcohol Have Doubled Since 1990, Study Finds,” University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, September 2, 2026.

“Alcohol’s cancer risks look different in younger adults,” Luis Arrais, Earth.com, September 8, 2026.

“Alcohol-related cancer deaths in US have more than doubled over three decades,” The Guardian, September 4, 2026.

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