European study shows link between alcohol consumption and cancer

In a large Europe-wide study published in the British Medical Journal, excessive alcohol consumption beyond standard government recommendations was linked to notable incidents of cancer.

Consuming more than a pint of beer a day can cause exposure to a variety of cancers among a notable segment of the population, according to a study of more than 360,000 people across Europe. The research results were published in the British Medical Journal, according to a BBC report. The study found that one in 10 cancers in men, and one in 33 in women, were attributed to past and current alcohol consumption. The European Union has long recognized that its population tends to drink beyond the recommended levels suggested by EU governments. Statistics issued by the UK's Institute for the Study of Drug Dependence have identified Czech drinkers to be among the heaviest alcohol consumers in the world and have found that across Europe, "7% of men and 2.5% of women over 18 years old or older get drunk at least once every week." These statistics do not bode well with the findings from the British Medical Journal report on the disturbing correlation between cancer and alcohol consumption. Another key highlight of the study showed that more than 18 percent of alcohol-related cancers in men, and 4 percent in women, were attributed to excessive alcohol intake. According to the European Union's health portal, "Europe has the highest proportion of drinkers in the world, the highest levels of alcohol consumption per capita and a high level of alcohol-related harm. Harmful and hazardous alcohol consumption is a net cause of 7.4% of all ill-health and early death in the EU." European governments recognize the cultural challenge, as some of the best crafted alcohols in the world originate in their respective countries, and the EU is working to temper consumption. The research prompted the British Medical Journal to conclude: "In western Europe, an important proportion of cases of cancer can be attributable to alcohol consumption, especially consumption higher than the recommended upper limits. These data support current political efforts to reduce or to abstain from alcohol consumption to reduce the incidence of cancer."