Dry January: drinking less reduces the risk of developing cancer

At a time when many French people are starting their month without alcohol (or “Dry January”), a new report indicates that stopping or reducing the consumption of this type of drink can reduce the risk of several cancers.

Alcohol and cancer: a link with the toxin “acetaldehyde”

Its author, Farhad Islami, was part of a group of 15 scientists studying the impact of reducing or stopping alcohol consumption on cancer risk. To do this, they analyzed and cross-referenced more than 90 studies published on the subject over a period of four months.

From this data, the team found that there was enough evidence to ensure that reducing alcohol consumption may be linked to a reduced risk of oral and esophageal cancer. It also found data indicating that stopping or reducing alcohol intake reduced the risk of laryngeal cancer, colorectal cancer and breast cancer.

Researchers also found that one of the main risk factors for cancer from alcohol was a toxin called “acetaldehyde”, which is produced by the breakdown of alcohol in the liver.

Alcohol and cancer: gaps to fill

In reviewing the studies, the researchers also identified some gaps that, with further research, could help better understand the link between quitting alcohol and cancer risk.

“The problem with current data is that many of the available studies only report the risk for former drinkers without specifying when they stopped drinking, for how long, or whether they continued drinking while still drinking. reducing their consumption”analyze the experts.

“It would be good for future research to ask more questions about how long it takes to stop or reduce alcohol consumption,” they conclude.

According to WHO estimates, more than 740,000 cases of cancer worldwide in 2020 were caused by alcohol consumption.

The report cited in this article is published in The New England Journal of Medicine.