Most Americans don’t know that alcohol can cause cancer

• Most Americans are unaware of the cancer risks caused by alcohol. More than half of adults in the United States either underestimate or misunderstand how drinking alcohol increases the risk of cancer.
• People who drink alcohol regularly are the least aware. People who consume alcohol are particularly likely to believe that drinking has no effect on their cancer risk.
• Better awareness can save lives. Educating the public about the true connection between alcohol and cancer may help more people follow the US Surgeon General’s guidelines and reduce preventable cases of cancer.

Many Americans are unaware of the cancer risks of alcohol

New research from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center shows that public understanding of the relationship between alcohol and cancer is still surprisingly low in the United States. Despite decades of scientific evidence, more than half of American adults (52.9%) were not aware that alcohol affects cancer risk.

The results, published on October 30 Gamma OncologyIt reveals that only 37.1% of adults realize that drinking alcohol increases the risk of cancer, while 1% believe that it actually reduces it. The study also indicated that individuals who had recently consumed alcohol, or who believed that cancer was not fatal or preventable, were more likely to say that alcohol had no effect on cancer risk.

Lead author Sanjay Shet, Ph.D., professor of biostatistics and epidemiology and the Betty B. Marcus Chair in Cancer Prevention, called the findings alarming. “It is worrying that people who drink alcohol are more likely to believe it has no effect on cancer risk,” Shetty said. “Because people’s beliefs play a critical role in their choice of healthier behaviors, we need to work to correct these misconceptions, which may be essential to reduce the increasing burden of alcohol-related cancers.”

The researchers examined what influences how people view the risks of alcohol and cancer, noting that health-related behaviors and beliefs strongly influence whether individuals make informed choices. The study found that certain demographic and behavioral characteristics are associated with greater misunderstanding of the effects of alcohol.

Current cigarette smokers, black individuals, those with lower levels of education (less than college or high school level), and people who did not believe cancer could be prevented were more likely to say they did not know that alcohol contributed to cancer risk.

The role of alcohol as a carcinogen has been proven

The World Health Organization classifies alcohol as a Group 1 carcinogen, the same risk level as tobacco, asbestos and radiation. Alcohol consumption has been linked to at least seven types of cancer, including breast, liver, and colorectal cancer. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), alcohol consumption accounts for approximately 5.5% of all new cancer cases and 5.8% of all cancer deaths worldwide.

The researchers suggest that correcting misinformation could help more people follow alcohol consumption guidelines, including those endorsed by the US Surgeon General in his 2025 advisory, which could reduce preventable cancer-related deaths.

The analysis was based on data from nearly 7,000 adults ages 18 and older (median age 48) who participated in the 2024 National Health Information Trends Survey. Of the participants, 48.4% were female, 60.7% were white, 17.5% were Hispanic, and 11% were black. More than half reported drinking alcohol within the past month, and nearly 10% had a personal history of cancer.

Participants were asked: “In your opinion, how does drinking alcohol affect the risk of cancer?” They can choose from four answers: “Reduces the risk of cancer,” “Has no effect on the risk of cancer,” “Increases the risk of cancer,” and “I don’t know.”

This research was supported by the National Cancer Institute (P30CA016672) and the Betty B. Marcus Chair in Cancer Prevention. A full list of authors, disclosures, and funding sources are available in full Gamma Oncology condition.