Less than half of Americans are aware that alcohol is a risk for cancer, according to a new advisory from U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy. Biology professor Antonio Giordano talks about the connection between alcohol and cancer. Many Americans are taught from an early age that alcohol is a drug with numerous negative effects, but according to Murthy's Jan. 3 advisory, alcohol consumption is the third most common preventable cause of cancer in the United States, after obesity and tobacco. It also explains that alcohol increases the risk for at least seven different types of cancer.

The advise aims to better inform Americans about the link between alcohol and cancer. Murthy also suggests modifying the current Surgeon General's health warning label on alcohol-containing products to assist Americans make better decisions about their alcohol intake.

So, how does drinking increase cancer risk? Temple Now, I contacted Antonio Giordano, president and founder of the Sbarro Health Research Organization and biology professor at the College of Science and Technology.
Giordano and his colleagues at Sbarro do research to help detect, treat, and cure cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other chronic illnesses. Giordano's cancer knowledge extends over three decades of significant research and discovery. Recently, he led studies that discovered that oleanolic acid, a chemical found in grapes, can boost the effectiveness.

This is what he has to say about alcohol’s link to cancer.

Temple Now: Is alcohol considered a carcinogen?

Giordano Antonio: Indeed. Alcohol has been classified as a "Known to Be Human Carcinogen," the highest and most conclusive assessment for a chemical, since 2000 by the National Toxicology Program, which is housed inside the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and is tasked by Congress with creating current studies on human carcinogens. There is substantial clinical and epidemiologic support for this classification. The majority of chemicals only have "Reasonably Anticipated to Be Human Carcinogens" status because there isn't enough epidemiologic research to support their claims. This isn't the case with alcohol, though.

Surgeon General Advisory
Furthermore, alcohol is categorized as a classification 1 carcinogen, which is the highest risk classification, by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

TN: Why does drinking alcohol increase cancer risk?

AG: Alcohol is not the molecule that causes cancer directly. Instead, it is acetaldehyde, a highly reactive aldehyde that is a hazardous byproduct of alcohol that can bind DNA and cause mutations. These aldehydes raise the production of reactive oxygen species, a highly reactive type of oxygen that leads to mutations and raises the risk of cancer.
Liver damage brought on by excessive alcohol use, as in alcoholism, is another complicating aspect. Excessive alcohol use causes inflammatory liver disease, which raises the risk of liver cancer.

TN: Which cancers are brought on by alcohol consumption?
AG: At least seven cancers, including those of the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, liver, breast, and colon, are brought on by alcohol.
TN: Is there a link between increased alcohol consumption and an increased risk of cancer?
AG: According to the data, an individual's chance of acquiring an alcohol-associated cancer increases with the amount of alcohol they consume, especially if they consume it regularly over time. Even people who just drink once a day and binge drinkers—those who have four or more drinks for women and five or more for males in one sitting—are at higher risk for developing certain types of cancer.

For More Information Visit Here:

Cancer Society Report 2025: A Snapshot of Cancer Cases

Increasing Chemotherapy Effectiveness with Oleanolic Acid from Grapes

Celebrating the Legacy of Neapolitan Philosopher Gaetano Filangieri