Lifetime Alcohol Intake may increase risk of Colorectal Cancer, suggests research
A new study published in the journal of Cancer showed that while quitting alcohol may reduce the risk of adenoma, heavy drinking on a regular basis and a higher lifetime average may raise the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). Depending on the tumor site, associations may vary.
Alcohol consumption was reported by US individuals participating in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial across four age groups. Average weekly drinks from the age of 18 until the study baseline were used to compute average lifetime alcohol intake. The frequency of past and present drinking was used to establish patterns of alcohol consumption. 812 of the 12,327 individuals who had a negative baseline screen had an adenoma on the second screen.
Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for incident adenoma were calculated using logistic regression. 88,092 participants experienced 1679 incident CRC cases over the course of the 20-year follow-up. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for CRC were estimated using Cox proportional hazards regression.
Current drinkers were more likely to get colorectal cancer (CRC) (HR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.01–1.53), particularly rectal cancer (HR, 1.95; 95% CI, 1.17–3.28), if they had an average lifetime alcohol intake of 14 or more drinks per week as opposed to one drink or less. The risk of colorectal cancer was strongly correlated with consistent heavy drinking as opposed to mild drinking (HR, 1.91; 95% CI, 1.17–3.12).
Former drinkers had reduced chances of nonadvanced adenoma (OR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.39–0.84) than current drinkers who averaged less than one drink per week. The risk of CRC (HR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.64–0.97), particularly distal colon cancer (HR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.42–1.00), was lower for current drinkers who averaged seven to fewer than 14 drinks per week as opposed to less than one drink per week.
Overall, higher risks of colorectal cancer, especially rectal cancer, were seen in present drinkers with the greatest average lifetime intake when compared to those with the lowest, and in consistent heavy drinkers compared to constant light drinkers. The risk of colorectal cancer, especially distal colon cancer, was lower in current drinkers with a moderate average lifetime intake than in those with the lowest average lifetime intake.
Source:
O’Connell, C. P., Berndt, S. I., Chudy-Onwugaje, K., Kunzmann, A., Huang, W.-Y., Barry, K. H., & Loftfield, E. (2026). Association of alcohol intake over the lifetime with colorectal adenoma and colorectal cancer risk in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial. Cancer, 132(3), e70201. https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.70201
