Mass General Brigham cancer surgeon responds to proposed U.S. alcohol warnings

BOSTON — Alcohol is a leading cause of cancer, a risk that should be clearly labeled on drinks Americans consume, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy proposed on Friday.

Murthy’s advisory comes as research and evidence mounts about the bad effects that alcohol has on human health, but his proposal for a label would require a rare approval from the U.S. Congress.

Americans should be better informed about the link between alcohol and cancer, in particular, Murthy argues in his advisory, noting alcohol consumption is to blame for nearly one million preventable cancer cases in the U.S. over the last decade. About 20,000 people die every year from those alcohol-related cancer cases, according to his advisory.

Bottles of beer, wine, and liquor already carry warning labels that say pregnant women should not drink and that alcohol consumption can impair someone’s ability to drive a car. But Murthy’s proposed label would go even further, raising awareness about the risk of cancer, too.

A Boston-based surgeon who specializes in treating breast cancer patients told Boston 25 News the data was not a surprise.

“It’s been many years now that there’s been accumulating evidence of this link between alcohol and cancer risk,” said Dr. Elizabeth Mittendorf, a surgical oncologist with Mass General Brigham. “The numbers are big.”

The Surgeon General’s advisory says 100,000 cancer cases can be attributed to alcohol every year. The risk is higher for several types of cancer, including mouth, throat, liver, colorectum, and breast cancers.

Of note, the advisory says 16.4% of breast cancer cases may be attributable to alcohol.

“There was data published several years ago that suggested the association between alcohol consumption and cancer risk is dictated in part by how much alcohol you consume,” Mittendorf said. “The risk is slightly increased for a light drinker, but greater increased for heavy drinkers.”

Mittendorf says the Surgeon General’s warning is not intended to scare people, but instead provide them with data needed to make more informed decisions about their overall health.

“I think the opportunity here is to bring awareness, both to the fact that there are risks with alcohol consumption… and to highlight the opportunity for an individual to make lifestyle choices,” Dr. Mittendorf says. “Much like people are choosing whether or not they’re going to smoke, they can choose whether they’re going to drink.”

For those who do drink, health experts stress doing so in moderation.

U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy echoed Mittendorf’s remarks on social media Friday.

“For individuals, be aware that cancer risk increases as you drink more alcohol,” Murthy wrote on X. “As you consider whether or how much to drink, keep in mind that less is better when it comes to cancer risk.”

Asked about past reports that alcohol may harbor some health benefits when consumed in moderation, Mittendorf said it’s best to look at your whole-health picture.

“We’ve all heard that red wine might be good for cardiovascular health,” Mittendorf says. “That recommendation is based on observational studies, and I would suggest it’s fairly nuanced. There are other things that contribute to cardiovascular health, as well, like diet and exercise.”

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