![\"Pretty](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/GettyImages-1419169789.jpg\")
\n\t\tAlcohol consumption is linked to some cancers (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n
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\n\t\tAlcohol consumption is linked to some cancers (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Buying the first round of drinks<\/a> at his uncle Jimmy\u2019s wake, Peter raised a toast of whisky.\u00a0At just 67, Jimmy died last month after three years of treatment for colon cancer<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Peter, 36, who misses his uncle terribly, is currently under NHS consultant care to see if Jimmy\u2019s death \u2013 the sixth in his family to die from colorectal cancer \u2013 qualifies him for genetic testing or early screening.<\/p>\n Colon cancer is one of seven cancers recognised by the World Health Organisation<\/a> as being linked to increased alcohol consumption. The other six are breast, bowel, mouth cancer and some types of throat cancer: oesophageal, larynx and pharynx and liver cancer. <\/p>\n Yet, despite the connection, Peter has no intention of giving up drinking \u2013 and he\u2019s certainly not alone in his choice. There are around 20,900 deaths related to alcohol in England<\/a> annually, equating to a rate of approximately 38.5 per 100,000 population. <\/p>\n \u2018I\u2019ve lost an uncle, cousins and a grandparent to bowel or colon cancer,\u2019 says Peter, who is going by just his first name as he wants to avoid potential judgment from friends and colleagues.<\/p>\n \u2018My consultant told me when I was running through my family history that alcohol consumption is linked to this type of cancer. He asked how many units I have a week and I know I\u2019m over the recommended amount, sometimes double.\u2019<\/p>\n \t\t Peter is keen to point out that alcohol doesn\u2019t rule his life. He might have a beer or cider, then perhaps whisky at the end of a night \u2013 sometimes it will be just one or two rather than a binge, while on other occasions he won\u2019t drink at all and choose to drive instead.\u00a0<\/p>\n But he also believes \u2018we have to die sometime.\u2019<\/p>\n \u2018My wife Sarah doesn\u2019t drink much and hates that I could be putting myself at risk of an early cancer diagnosis but I just can\u2019t handle the thought of going teetotal,\u2019 Peter admits.<\/p>\n \u2018Whether it\u2019s beers before the rugby or a night out with mates or sharing a bottle of wine with Sarah, I don\u2019t want to live without alcohol. I know it could be shortening my life but no one\u2019s getting out alive and I\u2019d rather be on my deathbed with good memories of happy times shared and for me, alcohol is a part of that.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u2018Sarah thinks I\u2019m being selfish and it is something I reappraise a lot, but for now, that\u2019s how I\u2019m going to keep living my life.\u2019<\/p>\n \t\t GP Dr Helen Wall from the Oaks Family Practice in Bolton says she sees Peter\u2019s type of attitude towards alcohol and cancer risk all the time. \u2018In my almost 20 years since qualifying as a doctor I have seen a significant change in the alcohol advice we give when it comes to health,\u2019 she tells Metro<\/strong>.<\/p>\n \u2018In 2016 the limit for men was reduced from 21 to 14 units a week in recognition that both genders were equally at risk from alcohol harm. The advice also shifted from \u2018safe levels of drinking\u2019 to \u2018low-risk level of drinking\u2019, pointing out the fact that there is no completely safe level of consuming alcohol.<\/p>\n \u2018I believe this guidance changed as a result of a review of the evidence on the health risks of alcohol which showed links to several health conditions including cancer even at previously felt to be low-level consumption \u2013 two drinks a day,\u2019 adds Dr Wall.<\/p>\n \t\t \u2018If I ask a patient how alcohol can damage their health most will say it may cause liver damage, and they\u2019re correct but there are now known to be so many other effects on health.\u2019<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tHow alcohol impacts our bodies\t\t\t<\/p>\n Long-term health issues caused by alcohol, for more information, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Brain Damage:<\/strong> Long-term alcohol misuse can cause issues with memory, recall, retention of information and coordination.<\/p>\n Digestive problems<\/strong>: Alcohol can interfere with the body\u2019s gut biome \u00a0leading to an imbalance and digestive issues\u00a0<\/p>\n Sexual dysfunction<\/strong>: Too much alcohol can cause difficulties with desire performance and function for both men and women, it can also contribute to infertility.<\/p>\n Liver Disease:<\/strong> Drinking too much can lead to liver conditions including fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer.\u00a0<\/p>\n Heart Disease:<\/strong> Alcohol increases blood pressure, it can also result in a weakening of the heart muscle. Alcohol increases the risk of stroke, irregular heartbeats known as arrhythmia, heart failure and stroke.<\/p>\n Pancreatitis:<\/strong> Alcohol irritates the pancreas and prolonged use and binge\u00a0drinking can lead to inflammation which can then result in chronic pancreatitis.\u00a0<\/p>\n Mental Health Problems:<\/strong> Drinking more than the recommended amount of alcohol can increase the risk of depression and anxiety. It could contribute to other mental health conditions.<\/p>\n Weakened Immune System: <\/strong>The\u00a0immune system becomes weaker and compromised with excessive alcohol consumption which can mean\u00a0drinkers are more susceptible to infections and take longer to heal.<\/p>\n However, many people continue to drink alcohol despite knowing its risks because it can be a way to cope with stress, social pressures, or habit, explains Dr Hall. \u2018Everyone is so much more stressed in these times it seems,\u2019 she says. \u2018The short-term pleasure or relaxation due to its affects on GABA receptors in the brain can feel beneficial. This feeling \u00a0often outweighs concerns about long-term health for some individuals.\u2019<\/p>\n Tabbin Almond was 54 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in January 2014, but it took her another four years before it was linked to alcohol consumption.<\/p>\n \u2018I was in advertising for years living in London. It was a very boozy culture back in the early 90s \u2013 budgets were big and we were wined and dined a lot,\u2019 she recalls. \u2018Lunch for four would be gin and tonics to start then a couple of bottles of wine followed by port or sambucas. Deep down I think I knew I was a functioning alcoholic \u2013 I\u2019d easily drink the government guidelines for a week in a day.\u2019<\/p>\n \t\t After moving to Devon in 1998 to raise a family, Tabbin tried to change her relationship with drink. \u2018I was going to funerals of people younger than me that I\u2019d worked with who \u2013 with hindsight \u2013 might have died from health conditions exacerbated or caused by their consumption,\u2019 she tells Metro<\/strong>. <\/p>\n \u2018It started to become a wake-up call. I tried Alcoholics Anonymous but it didn\u2019t work for me. The group I attended had people whose lives had been ruined by alcohol, I felt like I was very much a middle-lane drinker.\u2019<\/p>\n While over 3 million people die globally every year through alcohol-related causes, including cancer, a 2018 study in The Lancet found drinking more than seven drinks a week (100 grams of alcohol) shortened life expectancy.\u00a0The research also revealed ten to 15 drinks per week reduced life expectancy by one to two years, while 18 or more drinks per week shortened life expectancy by between four and five years.\u00a0<\/p>\n In light of the dangers, lobby groups are behind a growing call for alcohol in the UK to carry health warning labels in much the same way that cigarettes do but currently, the only obligation for alcohol is to have nutritional, allergen and ingredient labels on.\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\t At the start of the year in America, US Surgeon General Dr Vivek Murthy also called for warning labels on alcohol so people knew the link between consumption and cancer, but no law exists that makes the labelling of this relationship mandatory.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, despite the glorification of booze- from the boom of bottomless brunches to \u2018wine time\u2019 merch \u2013 the alcohol-free drinks industry in the UK has skyrocketed in recent years with sales of no and low-alcohol drinks worth around \u00a3221 million a year. It\u2019s clear a shift is finally taking place surrounding our perception of alcohol.<\/p>\n \u2018Almost half of individuals aged 18 to 34 have stopped drinking alcohol completely, and over half in this age group report reducing their intake, often due to health concerns and the negative impact of alcohol on well-being and sleep,\u2019 explains Dr Wall.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n However, Tabbin admits that back in 2007, although having stopped drinking, she started again following her breast cancer diagnosis.<\/p>\n After a full mastectomy, she had her lymph nodes tested to see if the cancer had spread. Tabbin discovered the cancer was in all seven of the lymph nodes. As she turned to wine to cope with the news, she had no clue that it could be linked to the disease that was ravaging her body.<\/p>\n \u2018I didn\u2019t put two and two together at the time. When I was told I had cancer, I was pretty healthy,\u2019 she remembers. \u2018I\u2019d been alcohol-free for a while, I ran marathons, I wasn\u2019t overweight, I ate really well, I didn\u2019t have a family history of breast cancer.\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\t \u2018At the time, there seemed to be no logical explanation for why I had got cancer. All I knew was that I was terrified. I came back from the hospital the day I was told and drank a bottle of wine. I didn\u2019t want to be in my head. I went back to alcohol to numb the fear about my own mortality.\u2019<\/p>\n Ten months of further surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy ensued before Tabbin was declared cancer-free in November 2014. \u2018The irony is I have a picture of me with a glass of prosecco right after my last radiotherapy session. I honestly didn\u2019t link the two until a few years later,\u2019 she says.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u2018When I was finishing the frequent observations and checks, I asked my consultant what I could do to reduce the risk of cancer coming back and not once did he or anyone during my treatment talk to me about alcohol.\u2019<\/p>\n Instead, Tabbin did her own research and discovered in 2018 that her oestrogen receptor breast cancer is linked to an increased alcohol intake.<\/p>\n \t\t She learned that one in 10 breast cancer cases is linked to alcohol consumption and that the risk of the disease increases by 40% with the consumption of five units or more a day.<\/p>\n It was enough to make Tabbin stop drinking completely and she hasn\u2019t drunk since. \u2018I know in myself my alcohol intake was contributory and I believe at least 50% of the reason for my diagnosis,\u2019 she says. <\/p>\n \u2018I asked my consultant about the links between cancers and alcohol intake. He said that the WHO findings were widely accepted but that most medical professionals don\u2019t talk about the link between alcohol and cancer because they don\u2019t want people with cancer to feel judged or like they might have had lifestyle factors that contributed to their diagnosis.\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\t \u2018I understand that, but for people like me with oestrogen receptor cancers, continuing to drink alcohol is like poking the fire. At some point, medical professionals and those who treat people with cancer need to start speaking to their patients about the links. We need to be more responsible for our own health.\u2019<\/p>\n While Tabbin now runs Wine To Water Coaching<\/a>, a company that helps businesses and individuals appraise their relationship with alcohol, Dr Wall says she\u2019s also seen a difference in the relationship her patients have with alcohol.<\/p>\n \u2018The good news is things appear to be changing. Recent surveys indicate a significant shift in alcohol consumption among our young people,\u2019 she explains.<\/p>\n \u2018I have seen this in my patient cohorts \u2013 maybe it\u2019s time older generations followed suit.\u2019<\/p>\n Do you have a story you\u2019d like to share? Get in touch by emailing Claie.Wilson@metro.co.uk<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Share your views in the comments below.<\/strong><\/p>\n Arrow Arrow![\"Life](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/GettyImages-641240916.jpg\")
\n\t\t\u2018Whether it\u2019s beers before the rugby, a night out with mates or a bottle of wine with my wife, I don\u2019t want to live without alcohol\u2019 (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n![\"riotous](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/GettyImages-84170438.jpg\")
\n\t\tThere are around 20,900 deaths related to alcohol in England annually (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n![\"friends](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/GettyImages-643821287.jpg\")
\n\t\tAlcohol can do more than just damage our livers (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/TABBIN-6-dedf-e1743672112445.jpg\")
\n\t\tTabbin used to work in advertising and says that she was a functioning alcoholic (Picture: Supplied)<\/p>\n![\"Unrecognizable](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/GettyImages-2165227823.jpg\")
\n\t\tThe Lancet found drinking more than seven alcoholic beverages a week shortened life expectancy (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/tabbin-drinking.png\")
\n\t\tTabbin had stopped drinking but started again after she was diagnosed with breast cancer (Picture: Supplied)<\/p>\n![\"two](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/GettyImages-1193256860.jpg\")
\n\t\tStudies have shown a link between alcohol and cancer (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/TABBIN-4-13c7.jpg\")
\n\t\tTabbin says she didn\u2019t connect her breast cancer with her alcohol consumption until a few years later (Picture: Supplied)<\/p>\n
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