IARC
ecac home title en
  • Home
  • 12 ways
    • Tobacco
    • Second-hand smoke
    • Healthy body weight
    • Physical activity
    • Diet
    • Alcohol
    • Sun/UV exposure
    • Pollutants
    • Radiation
    • Breastfeeding
    • Hormonal therapy
    • Vaccination and infections
    • Screening
    • Others
    • Pharmaceutical drugs
  • About cancer
    • What is cancer?
    • What causes cancer?
    • Is cancer avoidable?
    • What can we do?
  • Scientific Justification
  • About the code
European Code Against Cancer
You are here: Home / 12 ways / Alcohol / Do all types of alcoholic...
Print the Codeicon pdf

Questions & Answers

  • Tobacco
  • Second-hand smoke
  • Healthy body weight
  • Physical activity
  • Diet
  • Alcohol
  • Sun/UV exposure
  • Pollutants
  • Radiation
  • Breastfeeding
  • Hormonal therapy
  • Vaccination and infections
  • Screening
  • Others
  • Pharmaceutical drugs

Do all types of alcoholic drinks increase the risk of cancer?

Yes. Alcohol in any form increases the risk of cancer since alcohol itself causes damage. The main types of alcoholic drinks are wine, beer, and spirits, but any drink that contains alcohol can cause cancer. Alcoholic drinks have different alcohol contents. Be aware that some spirits can contain particularly high percentages of alcohol, and some types of beer can have much higher alcohol content than average.
  • Is drinking alcohol a cause of cancer?
  • Apart from cancer, is alcohol consumption a cause of disease?
  • Do all types of alcoholic drinks increase the risk of cancer?
  • Why does drinking alcohol cause cancer?
  • What if I drink alcohol and smoke tobacco?
  • Can I reduce my risk of cancer if I stop drinking alcohol?
  • What is worse, episodic heavy drinking or moderate drinking every day?
  • Is drinking small amounts of alcohol good for my heart?
  • How much is a standard drink?
  • How much can I reduce my risk of cancer by limiting my alcohol intake?

IARC, 150 Cours Albert Thomas, 69372 Lyon CEDEX 08, France - Tel: +33 (0)4 72 73 84 85 - Fax: +33 (0)4 72 73 85 75
Disclaimer /© IARC 2016 - All Rights Reserved.