It is predicted that about 135,000 cancer deaths will be reported in the UK by 2035, according to a new report by Sheffield University and commissioned by Cancer Research UK. By 2035 the UK could see about 7,100 cancer deaths every year that are associated with alcohol, along with a tremendous amount of money spent for cancer. Of the types that are involved esophageal cancer is set to see the largest increase, followed by bowel cancer, mouth and throat cancer, breast cancer and liver cancer. They are also forecasting that there will be over 1.2 million hospital admissions for cancer over the next 20 years. Results were based on an analysis that assumes alcohol drinking trends will continue as they have seen over the last 40 years, and accounts for recent falls in alcohol consumption, including among the young people.
This report suggests that the more alcohol an individual drinks, the higher the risk of cancer. The guidelines for the UK government were published earlier where they advise both men and women to drink no more than 14 units of alcohol a week. About 9 in 10 people are unaware of the link between alcohol and cancer.
It also examined the impact of introducing a minimum unit price for alcohol in England and found that over 20 years a 50 pence minimum price per units of alcohol could reduce the deaths that are linked to alcohol by around 7,200, including about 670 cancer deaths.
The Director of Prevention at Cancer Research UK, Allison Cox, said that these new figures reveal the devastating impact that alcohol will have over the coming years. It is hugely important that the public is aware of the link between alcohol and cancer and to learn what they can do to improve their risk. If they are to change the nation’s drinking habits and make an effort to mitigate the impact alcohol will have, then national health campaigns are needed to provide clear information about the health risks of drinking alcohol.
The chair of the Alcohol Health Alliance, Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, said that these figures show the serious consequences for individuals, the NHS and society if the UK government continues to ignore the consequences of the nation’s drinking. The report that MUP provided will save lives, including those lost to cancer and to ease the burden on their health service. This would also leave moderate drinkers and prices in pubs and bars unaffected.
They also need mandatory health information on the labels of all alcoholic products, to inform the public of the link between alcohol and cancer and the new low-risk drinking guidelines. They believe that the public has the right to know about how their drinking will impact their health so that they are empowered to make informed choices.
It seems that this is valuable information that the U.S. should also jump on. Informing the U.S. citizens could cut down on our cancers here in the states. Saving lives should be a priority and cutting back on alcohol is a good place to start.
Dr Fredda Branyon