Alcohol-attributable cancer deaths in the United States climbed from 11,361 in 1990 to 23,126 in 2023, according to a new analysis of Global Burden of Disease data.
Among adults aged 20 to 54, colorectal cancer was the leading cause of alcohol-linked cancer death in men and the second leading cause in women, surpassing liver cancer in both groups.
The study was published in September 2026 in The Lancet Regional Health, Americas, and was led by researchers at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
Men and adults aged 55 and older still bore the greatest overall burden, with liver, esophageal and colorectal cancers leading in older men.
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But the increases showed up across most cancer types, age groups and regions of the country.
Beyond the liver
Public awareness of alcohol's cancer risk tends to fixate on the liver. The wider list is longer.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identifies seven cancers with a documented alcohol link: mouth, throat, larynx, esophagus, colon and rectum, liver, and breast in women.
The type of drink does not soften the risk. "All kinds of drinks that contain alcohol increase the risk of cancer," the CDC states, whether the drink is beer, wine or liquor.
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The mechanisms are physical, not lifestyle.
Alcohol can disrupt cell cycles, drive chronic inflammation and damage DNA, according to the CDC.
It also raises levels of estrogen and other hormones, a pathway that helps explain why breast cancer was the leading alcohol-attributable cancer death among women in the new study.
What surprised the researchers
Corresponding author Dr. Chinmay Jani, chief fellow in hematology and oncology at Sylvester, said the reach of the effect stood out.
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"The most surprising finding was the breadth of alcohol's potential impact across cancer types," Jani said, according to the University of Miami press release. "Although its relationship with liver cancer is widely recognized, its contribution to cancers such as colorectal, esophageal, breast, pancreatic and prostate cancer is less well understood by the public."
Geographic patterns varied sharply.
In 2023, Washington, D.C. recorded the highest alcohol-attributable cancer mortality rates in the country, while Utah recorded the lowest.
Senior author Dr. Gilberto Lopes, chief of the Medical Oncology Division at Sylvester, framed the practical takeaway around choice.
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"What this study makes clear is that alcohol-related cancer risk is not limited to one disease or one group of people," Lopes said in the press release.
The researchers analyzed more than three decades of Global Burden of Disease data, stratified by sex, age group and all 50 states plus D.C. The findings were first presented at the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting before peer-reviewed publication.
What to do with the finding
Alcohol is a modifiable risk factor, and cutting back is one lever people can pull.
Welltica has covered how the body responds when regular drinking stops, including changes to sleep, blood pressure and liver enzymes within weeks.
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Anyone with persistent digestive symptoms, unexplained rectal bleeding, a change in bowel habits or a new breast lump should raise it with a doctor rather than wait.
Adults should also check that they are up to date on colorectal cancer screening, which US guidelines currently recommend starting at age 45 for average-risk adults.
This article is made and published by Ida-Marie Palm Varbæk, who may have used AI in the preparation.