upper aerodigestive cancer risk and alcohol

Last reviewed 12/2022

Upper aerodigestive tract cancers (combined) - cancers of the oral cavity and pharynx, larynx, and oesophagus separately

oral cavity and pharynx

• consumption of alcoholic beverages is causally associated with risk of cancers of the oral cavity and pharynx (combined). Increasing alcohol consumption increases risk in a dose-dependent manner. Statistically significant increased risks were observed at low, medium and high levels of alcohol intake
  
  
• consumption of alcoholic beverages is causally associated with the risk of cancer of the oral cavity. Statistically significant increased risks were consistently observed at high alcohol intakes (>50 g ethanol/day), but findings were more variable at medium and low intakes
  
  
• consumption of alcoholic beverages is causally associated with the risk of cancer of the pharynx. Statistically significant increased risks were consistently observed at high alcohol intakes (>50 g ethanol/day), but findings were more variable at medium and low intakes.

laryngeal cancer

• consumption of alcoholic beverages is causally associated with risk of laryngeal cancer
  
  
• statistically significant increased risks were consistently observed at medium and high (>12.5 g ethanol/day) but not low alcohol intakes.

Oesophageal cancer

• consumption of alcoholic beverages is causally associated with risk of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oesophagus. Increasing alcohol consumption 14 increases risk in a dose-dependent manner. Statistically significant increased risks were observed at low, medium and high alcohol intakes
  
  
• consumption of alcoholic beverages is not associated with adenocarcinoma (AC) of the oesophagus

Notes:

• Typical alcohol content in grammes and UK units of different alcoholic beverages

  	Typical Alcohol by Volume (ABV) (%)	Typical volume of a drink (mL)	Ethanol content (g)	UK units of alcohol
  Beer	4.5	568 (pint)	20	2.5
  Wine	13	175 (glass)	18	2.3
  Spirits	40	20 (single)	8	1

  UK 1 unit of alcohol = 8g ethanol

  In describing levels of alcohol consumption, the terms 'low', 'medium' and 'high' were used to represent intakes averaging approximately <12.5 g ethanol/day (< approximately 1.5 units/day), 12.5-50 g ethanol/day (approximately 1.5-6 units/day), and >50 g ethanol/day (> approximately 6 UK units/day), respectively.

Reference:

• Public Health England (2015). Committee on Carcinogenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COC) Statement 2015/S2 - Statement on consumption of alcoholic beverages and risk of cancer.