• 5/8/2008
  • Australia
  • staff
  • www.abc.net.au

Four standard alcoholic drinks per day increases a man’s risk of developing bowel cancer by 64 per cent, a new report says.
For women, just two standard drinks per day increases their risk of developing breast cancer by up to 22 per cent, according to study by the Cancer Institute NSW.

For both men and women, two standard drinks a day increases the risk of developing mouth cancer by 75 per cent.

NSW Assistant Health Minister Verity Firth, who will release the report today, says the alarming links to cancer have been generally ignored in community debate over alcohol consumption.

“In fact, alcohol consumption is a significant risk factor for a number of cancers, including those of the breast, bowel, throat and mouth,” Ms Firth said in a statement today.

“(It) is one of the most well-established causes of cancer.

“Worryingly, a third of NSW adults actively reject the notion that drinking too much can cause cancer.”

The report, entitled “Alcohol As A Cause Of Cancer”, also found 12 per cent of all breast cancer cases in NSW could be directly linked to excessive consumption of alcohol.

Ms Firth said the World Health Organisation now listed alcohol as a top-rated Group 1 carcinogen.

The 2006 NSW Population Health Survey found 70 per cent of NSW adults drank alcohol, with 17.6 per cent drinking at risky or high-risk levels.

“Ultimately, we cannot police every person’s drinking habits,” Ms Firth said.

“But we want to make sure people have the information they need to make healthy choices about alcohol use for themselves.”