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Excessive alcohol consumption may cause cancer, study says
A recent study has revealed the connection between excessive drinking and the development of at least seven types of cancer.
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The study may also evaluate widely held beliefs regarding the benefits of alcohol. (Shutterstock/*)
E
veryone likes to have a glass of wine or a pint of beer once in a while, and some like to drink everyday. But research published by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) connects excessive drinking with the development of at least seven types of cancer, including cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, breast and colon.
Emphasizing the importance of the connection, the study stated that up to 5.5 percent of new cancer cases globally are estimated to be related to excessive drinking.
According to Time, co-author of the research Noelle LoConte said the result was an opportunity to officially declare the negative relationship between alcohol and cancer.
Read also: 'Moderate' drinking linked to brain damage: study
The study may also evaluate widely held beliefs regarding the benefits of alcohol. “It’s not that the people who drank alcohol were healthier; it’s that the people who did not drink alcohol were less healthy, on average,” LoConte explains.
But LoConte also advises moderation when considering drinking. As written in Time, she views the situation similar to that with melanoma. Although the sun may increase the risk of skin cancer for melanoma patients, it is not the best method of treatment for the patient to avoid the sun altogether.
It is best to practice moderation when knowing the risks the person is undertaking. (ezr/kes)
