Study Finds Dose Response Link Between Alcohol and Pancreatic Cancer

Researchers warn the more alcohol a person consumes on a daily basis, the higher their risk of pancreatic cancer grows.

According to the findings of a new study, consuming as little as two beers a night may significantly increase a person’s risk of developing pancreatic cancer.

The research was published earlier this month in the International Journal of Alcohol and Drug Research, warning about growing evidence of the link between alcohol and pancreatic cancer. Drinking more than 24 grams of alcohol per day significantly increases a person’s risk of developing the pancreatic cancer, according to the findings, which suggest that alcohol may be contributing to dramatic increases in rates of the disease in recent years.

The study adds to a growing body of research highlighting the risk alcohol consumption may pose to human health. While many people know alcohol is harmful in general, some of the specific long-term effects are not as well known.

Alcohol Cancer Concerns

Research published last year indicated alcohol-related cancer deaths have doubled over the past 30 years. For that reason, federal health officials are calling for stricter warning labels on alcohol to highlight the danger of developing multiple types of cancer, including breast, liver and throat cancer.

Roughly 67,000 Americans will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the U.S. every year. It is the third leading cause of cancer in the country. However, because pancreatic cancer does not have many early warning symptoms, it is sometimes only discovered when it has reached an advanced, less survivable stage. Additionally, the risk of a person developing alcohol-related cancer is much higher if they already suffer from other conditions such as obesity, diabetes or alcoholic liver disease.

Pancreatic cancer treatments include invasive surgery, such as the Whipple procedure to remove tumors in the pancreas, targeting immunotherapy, chemotherapy and radiation. However, since symptoms regularly show up late, pancreatic cancer is often deadly.

Alcohol Pancreatic Cancer Risks

Researchers from the University of Victoria in Canada conducted a meta-analysis of cohort studies focusing on alcohol consumption and the risk of pancreatic cancer. Led by Dr. Jinhui Zhao, the team compiled 37 studies published in or before January 2024, providing 279 pancreatic cancer incidence/death risk estimates for drinkers vs. non-drinkers.

Overall, researchers determined alcohol consumption at any level poses a potential cancer risk. However, the risk was significantly increased when people drank more than 24 grams of alcohol per day, or roughly 1.5 glasses of beer or wine or a 1.5 ounce shot of 40 proof alcohol.

Data showed a significant dose-response relationship between alcohol and pancreatic cancer. Specifically, the more alcohol a person drank daily, the more likely they were to develop the condition. In fact, data suggested the risk of pancreatic cancer increases by 2.4% for every 10 g consumption of ethanol per day.

Beer and liquor were the alcoholic products most significantly linked to an increased risk of pancreatic cancer when compared with wine. The greatest risk was seen with consumption of one or two alcoholic drinks per day.

The World Health Organization lists alcohol consumption as linked to seven types of cancer, including mouth, breast and colon cancers. However, researchers in the new study said pancreatic cancer should be added to the list and the link studied further, warning that calculations involving individuals who never drink may be skewing similar research.

For years, there has been growing speculation that mass tort litigation may emerge against the liquor industry, including pancreatic cancer lawsuits alleging that individuals may have avoided a diagnosis if warnings and other information about the known risks associated with alcohol had been disclosed by manufacturers.

Sign up for more health and legal news that could affect you or your family.