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Alcohol and Cancer vs. Smoking Dangers

By: Ed Philips

Some basic facts concerning alcoholism include: the disease afflicts nearly 14 million people nationwide, or nearly one in every 10 adults; it kills nearly 20,000 Americans each year, both directly and as a result of alcohol-related incidents and conditions.

Nearly one-third of people diagnosed with psychotic disorders show a history of alcoholism and alcohol-dependency. Clearly this disease is devastating in its scope and impact. It is a strain on the public health system and a trauma for countless families nationwide...

New research is telling us that although we know of the overwhelming statistics, even further damage inflicted by alcohol is there to be uncovered. Results of a new international study show that the risk of cancer linked to heavy alcohol consumption has long been underestimated and may be as high as the risks associated with smoking. The France-based study performed by the International Agency for Research on Cancer can be referenced in The Lancet Oncology Journal.

Based on the results of the study, researchers have concluded that excessive drinking and alcohol dependency can significantly raise the risk of a host of cancers, including those of the breast, colon, esophagus, larynx, liver, and mouth. There may even be an association between alcohol consumption and lung and pancreatic cancer, although the findings of the study were not entirely conclusive on those two forms.

You may have heard of other recent studies that had suggested that moderate alcohol consumption may result in a reduced risk of heart disease. Given these prior studies, the cancer study's findings caused mild controversy among some in the medical community. The differences between the two studies are clear, the current study reflects only the consequences of heavy, long-term drinking such as that associated with alcoholism. Moderate drinking - defined as two glasses of wine daily - by non-alcoholic adults continues to be recommended by some doctors.

The death rates caused by alcoholism are astounding. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that alcoholism causes more than 320,000 deaths per year in the industrialized world, approximately 185,000 in men and 142,000 in women. In developing countries, where rates of alcoholism among the population can be higher, alcohol has been blamed for more than 1.5 million deaths in men and 300,000 in women every year.

Public health officials consider the problem of alcohol consumption particularly acute in central and eastern Europe, where economic troubles and the affordability of highly-concentrated alcohols such as vodka have led to near-epidemic levels of alcoholism.

Some research has suggested that the increase in head and neck cancers in eastern European countries may be partially attributed to rising rates of alcoholism.

If you believe yourself or a loved one to be suffering from alcohol dependency, a 24 hour Alcohol Treatment Referral Hotline can be reached at 1-800-ALCOHOL. Victims of alcoholism are urged to consult their health care professional and seek other treatment options such as Alcoholics Anonymous for support.

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