(NewsNation) — Adults under 50 have been developing breast and colorectal cancers at higher rates in recent decades. Alcohol may be a factor, a new report from the American Association for Cancer Research suggests.
The report, released Wednesday, details the progress in a declining overall cancer death rate in the U.S. Still, researchers may be alarmed by the rising number of younger adults diagnosed with cancers in the gastrointestinal system.
The consumption of alcohol is linked to more than 200 diseases and increases the risk of six different types of cancer, according to the AACR’s Cancer Progress Report last year. The organization suggests limiting alcohol consumption, in addition to avoiding smoking and increasing daily physical activity.
Moderate alcohol consumption was once considered to protect against heart disease, but researchers are starting to rethink their recommendations, according to a New York Times article.
“We can talk about the myth that red wine has potential cardiovascular benefits, but there are many ways to keep your heart healthy, and these potential benefits don’t really outweigh your cancer risks,” said Jane Figueiredo, an epidemiologist at the Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, to the New York Times.
Doctors believe alcohol can raise levels of the hormone estrogen, which can contribute to breast cancer.
“Fifty-one percent of people — or more than half — do not know that alcohol increases your risk of cancer,” said Figueiredo, who also served on the steering committee that prepared the report.
The study’s authors called for adding cancer-specific warning labels to alcoholic drinks.