• Posted October 31, 2025

Most Americans Unaware Alcohol Increases Cancer Risk

More than half of American adults don’t know that alcohol increases a person’s risk of cancer, a new study says.

About 53% of adults surveyed did not know that drinking increases the odds of developing cancer, researchers reported Oct. 30 in JAMA Oncology.

In truth, alcohol is considered a carcinogen as potent as tobacco, asbestos and radiation by the World Health Organization, researchers said in background notes.

Drinkers, in particular, were 76% more likely to believe that alcohol has no effect on cancer risk, researchers found.

“It’s concerning that people who drink alcohol are the ones most likely to believe it has no effect on cancer risk,” said lead researcher Sanjay Shete, chair of cancer prevention at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

“Given people’s beliefs play a critical role in whether they choose healthier behaviors, we need to work on correcting these misperceptions, which could be essential to reducing the growing burden of alcohol-related cancers,” he added in a news release.

Alcohol has been linked to at least seven types of cancer, researchers said. Nearly 6% of new cancer cases and cancer deaths are attributed to drinking, according to the National Institutes of Health.

For the new study, researchers analyzed responses from nearly 7,000 Americans over 18 who were surveyed in 2024.

More than half of the participants had consumed alcohol in the past month, and nearly 10% had a personal cancer history, researchers said.

As part of the survey, participants were asked, “In your opinion, how does drinking alcohol affect the risk of getting cancer?” Possible responses to this question were: "decreases the risk of cancer," "has no effect on the risk of cancer," "increases risk of cancer" and "don't know."

About 37% said there was a link between drinking and cancer risk, researchers found. In all, 1% believed that alcohol could lower risk of cancer.

More information

The National Cancer Institute has more on alcohol and cancer.

SOURCE: University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, news release, Oct. 30, 2025