ALCOHOL AND CANCER
The one-stop-shop for all science about alcohol and cancer and key campaign information
Awareness about carcinogenic nature of alcohol is low
Attempts to increase awareness have been limited and constitute a significant
public health need.
Awareness in Europe
Research in Europe has shown that
1 in 10 Europeans are not aware of the
connection between alcohol and cancer, and that one in five do not believe there is a connection between cancer and alcohol.
Liver cancer best known
Knowledge of the link between alcohol and specific cancers ranged from 18% for breast cancer to 80% for liver cancer, demonstrating a lack of knowledge in the general population.
And yet, cancer accounts for 12% of all alcohol-attributable deaths in the European Region.
A reason to quit
Half of smokers would quit cigarettes if they knew the increased risk of mouth cancer that it causes. and 40% of alcohol users would quit alcohol consumption if they knew the increased risks. Evidence shows that informing people, increasing awareness and understanding of alcohol’s cancer risks leads to bigger support for alcohol prevention and control.