Alcohol-related cancer deaths doubled from 1990 to 2023: Study

( NewsNation ) — Alcohol-related cancer deaths have shot up in recent decades across the United States, according to a study published last month in The Lancet Regional Health , which also found the impacts were noticeable in cancers beyond liver cancer.

Researchers analyzed alcohol-related death data from 1990 and 2023, finding that the number of deaths doubled from around 11,400 to over 23,100. The study also found that deaths varied by age, gender and region with the highest rates observed among adults ages 55 and older and men.

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"The most important takeaway is greater awareness that alcohol may affect cancer risk beyond the liver," study author Chinmay Jani, M.D., said in a release . Researchers noted growing links between alcohol and colorectal, breast, esophageal, pancreatic and other types of cancers.

While liver cancer contributed to the most alcohol-related cancer deaths in men aged 55 and older, the release noted that colorectal cancer was notably the leading cause of death in men aged 20 to 54. It was also the second leading cause for women in that age group, behind breast cancer.

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Additionally, the study found geographic differences in alcohol-related deaths, with Washington, D.C., recording the highest number of deaths in 2023, while Utah had the lowest. Researchers said this reflects "regional differences in alcohol consumption, state policies, and socioeconomic factors."

Jani concluded that "reducing (alcohol) consumption to the lowest amount feasible for each individual may help lessen its impact on cancer risk and overall health."

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