Alcohol consumption and mortality from four alcohol-related cancers in Australia 1950-2018

In a paper published in the British Journal of Cancer, researchers state that long-term alcohol use is a recognised risk factor for liver, upper aerodigestive tract (UADT), colorectal, and female breast cancers, yet aggregate-level evidence linking alcohol consumption to mortality from these cancers remains limited. Their research examined the potential preventive impact of reducing population drinking on cancer mortality in Australia, accounting for tobacco use and health expenditure.
Annual per capita alcohol and tobacco consumption data (aged 15+) from 1910-2018, and mortality data for UADT, liver, breast, and colorectal cancers from the 1950s-2018, were collected from national registries. Sex- and age-specific associations and long-term lagged effects of alcohol and tobacco consumption were estimated.
A one-litre per capita annual reduction in alcohol consumption was significantly associated with decreases in mortality: 3.6% (95% CI: 1.0-6.2%) in male and 3.4% (1.8-4.9%) in female UADT cancer; 3.9% (0.2-7.7%) in male liver cancer; 1.2% (0.7-1.7%) in male and 0.7% (0.2-1.4%) in female colorectal cancer; and 2.3% (1.7-3.0%) in female breast cancer over a 20-year period.
Reducing population-level alcohol consumption in Australia could substantially lower mortality from UADT, colorectal, male liver, and female breast cancers, particularly among older adults, the research concludes.
Source: Jiang, H., Livingston, M., Room, R. Kibret, A.A., English, D.R., & Cheall, R. (2026) Alcohol consumption and mortality from four alcohol-related cancers in Australia 1950-2018: a time series analysis. British Journal of Cancer.