Fact sheet - 5 facts about alcohol and cancer

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This factsheet provides five important facts for policy makers, health professionals and the general public about the links between alcohol consumption and a range of cancer types.

This affects not only people who drink alcohol but also their families, friends and communities.

  1. Alcohol causes at least seven types of cancer
  2. The most common types of cancer due to alcohol are different for men and women
  3. The risk of cancer from alcohol consumption increases from the first drink
  4. Using tobacco as well as alcohol multiplies cancer risks
  5. Cancers due to alcohol consumption are preventable

The factsheet emphasizes that implementation of WHO ‘Best Buy’ policies to make alcohol less affordable, to ban or restrict alcohol marketing across all types of media, and to reduce alcohol availability can support the reduction of alcohol consumption and ultimately of cancers due to alcohol consumption. This will help progress towards a WHO SAFER European Region, free from harm due to alcohol. The factsheet was launched as part of European Week Against Cancer 2021.