A new study published in the journal Cancer has found that long-term alcohol consumption significantly increases the risk of colorectal cancer, with consistent heavy drinking posing a much greater danger than previously understood.
Heavy Drinking Shows Strongest Risk
Researchers followed more than 88,000 adults with no prior cancer history for nearly a decade. Participants tracked their alcohol use from early adulthood, allowing scientists to analyze long-term patterns rather than short-term habits.
Those who drank heavily throughout their lives had up to a 91% higher risk of developing colorectal cancer compared with people who drank very little. Even people who averaged more than 14 drinks per week faced a 25% higher risk, with rectal cancer risk nearly doubling in that group.
Why Long-Term Exposure Matters
Doctors say prolonged alcohol exposure damages the colon and rectum over time, interfering with the body’s ability to repair tissue — a key pathway to cancer development.
“The longer someone drinks, the longer their colon and rectum are exposed to damage and impaired repair,” said Dr. Lynn M. O’Connor, a colon and rectal surgery specialist in New York.
Rectal Cancer Raises Special Concern
The study found particularly strong links between alcohol and rectal cancer, a form of the disease that is often harder to treat and more complex clinically.
With colorectal cancers already rising in younger adults, physicians warn that these findings are especially concerning as drinking patterns increase among younger populations.
Quitting Alcohol May Lower Risk
Researchers also found encouraging news: people who stopped drinking showed lower odds of developing precancerous polyps compared to light drinkers, suggesting the body can recover when risk factors are reduced.
“These are modifiable risks,” said Dr. Jeffrey Farma of Fox Chase Cancer Center. “The choices people make over time matter, and the body can respond when those risks are reduced.”
Screening Remains Critical
Health experts emphasize that colorectal cancer is one of the most preventable and treatable cancers when caught early, yet fewer than 70% of eligible adults get screened.
U.S. guidelines recommend screening starting at age 45, using options such as stool tests, CT scans, or colonoscopies. Doctors say people with long-term heavy alcohol use may need earlier or more frequent screening, especially if symptoms like bleeding or persistent bowel changes appear.
“Colorectal cancer is one of the few cancers we can actually prevent or catch early,” said Dr. Fola May of UCLA. “But only if people get screened.”
For more health guidelines and recommendations, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine.