SYDNEY, April 23 (Xinhua) -- Alcohol consumption causes a higher proportion of cancers in Australia than previous estimates, new research reveals on Thursday.
The study estimates that around 4.6 percent of all cancers in Australia are caused by alcohol consumption, which also increases the risk of developing cancer by 19 percent, according to a statement of the University of Sydney, which led the study.
The research, published in the British Journal of Cancer, analyzed alcohol consumption behavior among 225,000 people in the Australian state of New South Wales' 45 & Up Study.
"Cancer is the leading cause of premature death in Australia and, while the science on the causes of cancer continues to evolve, the evidence is now clear that reducing alcohol consumption is an effective strategy for preventing cancer," said the study's lead author Peter Sarich from the University of Sydney School of Public Health.
Researchers estimated that over 7,800 cancer cases diagnosed in Australia in 2024 were attributable to alcohol, exceeding earlier estimates of between 2.8 percent and 4.1 percent.
The study found cancer risk rises with increased alcohol intake. For every 10 drinks consumed per week, the risk of cancer increased by 19 percent.
The risk rose by 46 percent for liver cancer, 27 percent for cancers of the mouth, throat, larynx and esophagus, 18 percent for breast cancer, and 16 percent for colorectal cancer, according to the study.
If Australians followed national guidelines of no more than 10 drinks per week, more than 3,700 alcohol-related cancer cases annually could be prevented, Sarich said, adding that only around half the population is aware that alcohol causes cancer. ■