Dr. Noelle LoConte leads authorship of American Society of Clinical Oncology Statement on link between alcohol and cancer

Dr. Noelle LoConte
Dr. Noelle LoConte

Even light drinking increases your risk of cancer, warns a statement from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). The publication was authored by oncologists to raise public awareness of the relationship between alcohol and cancers after a survey by the organization found that 7 of 10 Americans were unaware of the link. 

Alcohol is directly responsible for 5 to 6 percent of new cancers and cancer deaths worldwide, according to the statement. These include cancers of the breast, colon, esophagus, and head and neck cancers.

Noelle LoConte, MD, associate professor, Hematology, Medical Oncology and Palliative Care, was lead author on the ASCO statement. 

“ASCO joins a growing number of cancer care and public health organizations in recognizing that even moderate alcohol use can cause cancer,” said Dr. LoConte. 

The statement received wide coverage in the media. In follow-up interviews, Dr. LoConte focused on the impact of binge drinking on women's health. In 2016, the Wisconsin Department of Health reported that 20 percent of women in Wisconsin ages 18-44 engage in binge drinking (defined as having four or more alcoholic drinks on one occasion), compared to 16 percent nationwide. 

“Alcohol is converted by an enzyme in our bodies, a known carcinogen called acetaldehyde. I have not read anything that says that women have different levels of those enzymes per se, but it is known [that women are more susceptible],” said Dr. LoConte.

And in an interview with Vogue Magazine, Dr. LoConte urged that giving up alcohol has significant benefits for women's health. “There are a lot of people who really want to argue the science with me, and I feel like the science has been settled a long time ago,” she said. “There is an increased risk with even light drinking, but really [those with] the highest risk are heavy long-term drinkers,” she said, noting that eight drinks a week qualifies as "heavy" and four in one sitting qualifies as "binge."

 

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Robyn Perrin, PhD