Alcohol-Attributable Cancer Mortality Doubled in the USA Since 1990

Alcohol-attributable cancer deaths in the USA doubled from 11,361 in 1990 to 23,126 in 2023, with a disproportionate burden among men and adults aged 55 years and older. This population-based observational trend analysis used Global Burden of Disease data to examine age-standardized mortality rates (ASMRs) attributable to heavy alcohol use for all cancers combined and 10 specific cancers from 1990 to 2023, stratified by sex, age group, and state. In 2023, the alcohol-attributable cancer mortality rate was substantially higher among adults aged 55 years and older than among those aged 20–54 years (19.2 vs. 2.4 per 100,000), and higher in males than females (6.4 vs. 2.1 per 100,000). The proportion of cancer mortality attributable to alcohol increased across most cancer types, age groups, and sexes, with liver cancer showing the greatest increase (113.9%). Among adults aged 55 years and older in 2023, liver cancer had the highest alcohol-related mortality rate among males (12.7 per 100,000), while breast cancer had the highest rate among females (2.4 per 100,000); among those aged 20–54 years, colorectal cancer was highest in males (0.9 per 100,000) and breast cancer in females (0.9 per 100,000). Geographically, the District of Columbia had the highest ASMRs, whereas Utah had the lowest. These findings demonstrate a rising burden of alcohol-attributable cancer mortality in the USA and underscore the need for targeted prevention efforts and greater awareness of the relationship between alcohol consumption and cancer. Source: https://www.thelancet.com/