Less than half of Americans know that alcohol is a carcinogen • Hacker News Board

Re: Less than half of Americans know that alcohol is a carcinogen

#51

Post by advisedwang » Wed, Dec 02, 2020, 8:45 PM UTC

Source for all the folks asking specifically about risks: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/a...

> an estimated 3.5% of cancer deaths in the United States (about 19,500 deaths) were alcohol related

> Moderate drinkers have 1.8-fold higher risks of oral cavity (excluding the lips) and pharynx (throat) cancers and 1.4-fold higher risks of larynx (voice box) cancers than non-drinkers, and heavy drinkers have 5-fold higher risks of oral cavity and pharynx cancers and 2.6-fold higher risks of larynx cancers

> esophageal cancer ... range from 1.3-fold higher for light drinking to nearly 5-fold higher for heavy drinking

> Heavy alcohol consumption is associated with approximately 2-fold increased risks of two types of liver cancer

> light drinkers have a slightly increased (1.04-fold higher) risk of breast cancer, compared with nondrinkers. The risk increase is greater in moderate drinkers (1.23-fold higher) and heavy drinkers (1.6-fold higher)

> Moderate to heavy alcohol consumption is associated with 1.2- to 1.5-fold increased risks of cancers of the colon and rectum

Re: Less than half of Americans know that alcohol is a carcinogen

#52

Post by ogre_codes » Wed, Dec 02, 2020, 8:46 PM UTC

idoh wrote: post #12

This is a frustrating article, because it does not say how dangerous alcohol is. Maybe alcohol raises the risk of certain types of cancers, but only by a very tiny amount. Relative to other risks, even other risks from alcohol, do we really need to care about that?

There are some indications on there:

> A public health analysis published last year estimated that the cancer risk posed by drinking one bottle of wine a week was comparable to smoking five cigarettes for men and 10 for women in the same time span.

Re: Less than half of Americans know that alcohol is a carcinogen

#53

Post by Barrin92 » Wed, Dec 02, 2020, 8:46 PM UTC

idoh wrote: post #12

This is a frustrating article, because it does not say how dangerous alcohol is. Maybe alcohol raises the risk of certain types of cancers, but only by a very tiny amount. Relative to other risks, even other risks from alcohol, do we really need to care about that?

from the national cancer institute:

>"Pooled data from 118 individual studies indicates that light drinkers have a slightly increased (1.04-fold higher) risk of breast cancer, compared with nondrinkers. The risk increase is greater in moderate drinkers (1.23-fold higher) and heavy drinkers (1.6-fold higher"

Heavy and moderate drinking at the very least seems to be quite significant. Esophageal cancer is one that also came to my mind because I know of quite a few heavy drinkers who suffered from it, Christopher Hitchens for example.

Re: Less than half of Americans know that alcohol is a carcinogen

#54

Post by throwaway2245 » Wed, Dec 02, 2020, 8:46 PM UTC

potiuper wrote: post #18

This would have more novel potential by switching the word ethanol for alcohol in the title, i.e. methanol, which is an alcohol, is known to metabolise to formic acid (which is present as the formate ion) via formaldehyde, which is a known carcinogen, in a process initiated by the alcohol dehydrogenase in the liver. "More than half" likely do not know of the carcinogenicity of acetaldehyde (systematic name ethanal).…

"Ethanol is not carcinogenic, but is metabolised to acetaldehyde, which is carcinogenic."

The WHO specifies that it is ethanol in alcoholic beverages that is carcinogenic, i.e. what most people would call alcohol.

Re: Less than half of Americans know that alcohol is a carcinogen

#55

Post by rriepe » Wed, Dec 02, 2020, 8:46 PM UTC

nikolay wrote: post #30

It's all about the dose. Drink too much water and you will die. Most people will under report the amount of alcohol they drink. With 50ml per day, alcohol has a great hormetic effect. Wine, for example, is not just alcohol. Just like natural beer - it's full of nutrients.

This is true for its well-known other health risks.

Cancer risk doesn't care if you spread your seven drinks out over a week or over a night. Moderation might even be a riskier strategy from a cancer risk standpoint, if the imbibed amounts are otherwise the same.

Re: Less than half of Americans know that alcohol is a carcinogen

#56

Post by recursive » Wed, Dec 02, 2020, 8:46 PM UTC

shrimp_emoji wrote: post #39

recursive wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I very well might. I honestly had no idea there was anything unhealthy about moderate drinking. Every so often we even see dubious headlines about "daily red wine has health benefits". I'm not aware of specific, nor do I particularly believe it's good for you, but I really had no idea that it's unhealthy.

You had no idea there was anything unhealthy about consuming a neurotoxin until you heard "cancer"? : p

Some people get hammered. I know that's bad. So, yes, I had that idea.

I'm talking about moderate drinking. Like 1 per day or less.

Yes. I didn't know it was unhealthy. Every substance has a harmful dose. Some of them have safe doses. I didn't know that alcohol (apparently) has no safe dose.

Re: Less than half of Americans know that alcohol is a carcinogen

#57

Post by colejohnson66 » Wed, Dec 02, 2020, 8:47 PM UTC

dpoochieni wrote: post #38

TylerE wrote: post #13

Everything has risks. Oxygen is a carcinogen.

Yeah this is more of "why can't mommy protect us from the world?"

This article isn’t arguing for protection measures. It just says that “Big Booze” is working to prevent studies showing that alcohol is bad. Not much different that “Big Tobacco” decades ago.

Re: Less than half of Americans know that alcohol is a carcinogen

#58

Post by npsimons » Wed, Dec 02, 2020, 8:47 PM UTC

mehrzad wrote: post #35

pkaye wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Isn't it widely claimed that red wine can have some health benefits. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease...

It always seemed to me that the claimed benefits of wine also exist in grape juice.

Better still, grapes. Juicing removes fiber.

Re: Less than half of Americans know that alcohol is a carcinogen

#59

Post by recursive » Wed, Dec 02, 2020, 8:47 PM UTC

cujo wrote: post #36

recursive wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I very well might. I honestly had no idea there was anything unhealthy about moderate drinking. Every so often we even see dubious headlines about "daily red wine has health benefits". I'm not aware of specific, nor do I particularly believe it's good for you, but I really had no idea that it's unhealthy.

I call bullshit.

And for what it's worth, I can believe that you genuinely don't believe me.

Re: Less than half of Americans know that alcohol is a carcinogen

#60

Post by CadellFastro » Wed, Dec 02, 2020, 8:47 PM UTC

GavinMcG wrote: post #19

msk-lywenn wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd like to see a study on alcohol addiction that shows that all or some specific alcoholic drinks are as addictive as heroin.

The comment said that it ruins lives just as effectively, not that it's as addictive. Two things don't need to be equally strong or powerful to each get the job done.

That is exactly my point. Additionally, if you do want to look at things statistically, alcoholism is far more prevalent, at least in the United States, than heroin. In terms of raw number, alcoholism affects are larger range of people and arguably therefore destroys more lives.