Abstract
BackgroundAlcohol consumption is causally linked to several different types of cancer, including breast, liver, and colorectal cancer. While prior studies have found low awareness of the overall alcohol-cancer link, few have examined how awareness differs for each type of cancer. Greater awareness of risks associated with alcohol use may be a key factor in reducing alcohol-related cancer incidence.MethodsWe surveyed 1759 people of legal drinking age at the 2019 Minnesota State Fair. We used multivariable generalized linear models and linear regression models with robust standard errors to investigate factors associated with alcohol-cancer risk awareness. Models were fit examining predictors of overall awareness of alcohol as a risk factor for cancer, and prevalence of awareness of alcohol as a risk factor for specific types of cancer.ResultsPrevalence of awareness varied by cancer type, with awareness of alcohol causing liver cancer having the highest prevalence (92%) and awareness of alcohol causing breast cancer having the lowest prevalence (38%). Factors associated with awareness of alcohol-cancer risk differed by type of cancer.ConclusionsIn general, awareness of the risk of alcohol for certain types of cancer was low to moderate, reflecting a need to inform people not only that alcohol increases risk of cancer, but which types of cancer are most highly associated alcohol.
Highlights
Alcohol consumption is causally linked to several different types of cancer, including breast, liver, and colorectal cancer
[1] The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2020 there will be over 1.8 million new cancer cases and over 600,000 cancer deaths [2]; this represents an increase from 1.6 million new cases [2] and 599,000 deaths [1] in 2017
Women are at greater risk for breast cancer than men [3], while men are at higher risk of colorectal cancer [4]
Summary
Alcohol consumption is causally linked to several different types of cancer, including breast, liver, and colorectal cancer. While prior studies have found low awareness of the overall alcohol-cancer link, few have examined how awareness differs for each type of cancer. Women are at greater risk for breast cancer than men [3], while men are at higher risk of colorectal cancer [4]. Alcohol consumption is causally linked to several types of cancer. As of June 2020 the American Cancer Society (ACS) recommends not drinking alcohol to lower cancer risk [9]. ACS specifies seven types of cancer that are linked to alcohol consumption including mouth, throat, laryngeal, esophageal, liver, colorectal, and breast cancer [10]
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