Alcohol consumption contributed to 4.8 percent of all U.S. cancer cases and 3.2 percent of cancer deaths, translating to 75,199 cases and 18,947 deaths between 2013 and 2016, according to a study published in Cancer Epidemiology Jan. 19.
The study, conducted by American Cancer Society researchers, found the proportion of cancer cases attributable to alcohol consumption varies by state, ranging from a low of 2.9 percent in Utah to 6.9 percent in Delaware. Utah and Delaware also had the lowest and highest proportion of alcohol-related cancer deaths at 1.9 percent and 4.5 percent, respectively. Proportions were generally lower in Midwestern and Southern states, according to the data.
The proportion of alcohol-related cancers was greatest for oral cavity/pharyngeal cancer cases.
"This information is important for prioritizing state-level cancer prevention and control efforts to reduce alcohol consumption and the burden of alcohol-related cancers," said Farhad Islami, MD, PhD, study author.
Researchers conducted the study using data from the U.S. Cancer Statistics database.