What Do We Know About Alcohol & Cancer Risk?
- Al Roker’s wife Deborah Roberts has revealed she’s taking part in “dry January” following her husbands years of health struggles. Dry January is a practice of abstaining from alcohol consumption for the whole month.
- If you’re thinking about cutting back on your alcohol consumption, you should also take the effects alcohol can have on your cancer risk into consideration.
- According to the National Cancer Institute, there is a clear link between consuming alcohol, especially drinking it regularly over time, and an increased risk of several cancers. Those cancers include head and neck, esophageal, liver, breast and colorectal.
- Oncologists say moderate alcohol consumption is an answer for people looking to balance cancer risk with the enjoyment they get from drinking.
The caring mom and wife of the 69-year-old prominent weatherman has stayed by Roker’s side throughout his battle with prostate cancer, three knee replacements, and treatment for life-threatening blood clot complications.
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Roberts appears to be thriving at the start of 2023 and focusing on her well-being, just as her husband is doing, as he continues to walk everyday and inspire others to take control of their health.
Roker’s wife captioned a recent photo of herself smiling, “Wednesday … why not. Vow to find something special in every day. #celebrate #life.”
In another post, featuring her and her husband seemingly filled with joy during the holidays, Roberts wrote, “What a year of ups…downs… twists…turns…smiles…and heartfelt gratitude. Thank you 2023 for all you gave and taught.”
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When she took to Instagram to share a video of herself wishing others a Happy New Year’s Eve, Roberts admitted she recently took a break from social media.
She explained, “It’s been an overwhelming, quite busy time, and I just wanted to take a little time with me and the family, and just try to take a breather. And it is so hard to do that but I thought it would be nice to take a break away. And I just wanted to say hello.
“I wanted to take a moment to reflect on this last year, which has been filled with, for me, struggle, adversity, fear, heartbreak, but also new discoveries and victories and excitement, and a lot of things. So, it’s been a range of emotions and I’m sure you all have felt them too.”
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Roberts pointed out how last year at this time, “We were just sort of digging out with Al and trying to figure out where he was going,” before thank her fans for all their “good wishes” and “good will” throughout the year.
Al Roker’s Health Battles
Unfortunately for Al Roker, his three knee replacement surgeries have not been his only health battles. The popular journalist was forced to take time off of work back in 2022 to undergo treatment for dangerous blood clots in his lungs and legs. Thankfully, his efforts to stay fit by walking helped him achieve a speedy recovery before returning to work in January 2023.
“My doctor said the physical condition I was in because of the walking because of the cardio that probably helped save my life,” told TODAY. “Whatever you do to start moving, to start getting up and doing stuff it doesn’t matter how much or how little as long as you’re doing something that makes a big difference.”
Then, in November 2020, Roker shared that he was diagnosed with prostate cancer.
“It’s a good news-bad news kind of thing,” Roker told TODAY. “Good news is we caught it early. Not great news is that it’s a little aggressive, so I’m going to be taking some time off to take care of this.”
Thankfully, a radical prostatectomy which involved the removal of his prostate along with some surrounding tissue and lymph nodes proved to be an effective form of treatment, and Roker has been able to use his experience as a cancer survivor to educate others about the disease and advocating for their health.
“My message is to try to find the advocate you need, the help you need,” Roker previously told SurvivorNet. “Don’t take no for an answer, and know that there are people who want to help. There are organizations that are willing to help, but don’t give up.”
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Just months before revealing his prostate cancer diagnosis, he also had shoulder replacement surgery because of joint pain in his right shoulder.
“It’s gotten to the point where I can’t even sleep at night,” he said. “It’s not bad during the day, but at night it’s an intense pain that literally wakes me up. For the last month, I’ve only been sleeping about two or three hours a night, which even for me, is a little bit less [than I need].”
In the years prior to that, Roker underwent hip replacement surgery, carpal tunnel surgery and bypass surgery. Needless to say, he’s been through quite a lot. But having his supportive wife by his side through it all has made a huge difference.
“I wouldn’t be alive without her,” he told Page Six last year.
Alcohol and Cancer Risk
We’re delighted to see Deborah Roberts taking control of her health and doing what she thinks is best for her body – taking part in “Dry January.” Her decision to take a break from alcohol reminds of the connection between alcohol and cancer risk.
According to the National Cancer Institute, there is a clear link between consuming alcohol, especially drinking it regularly over time, and an increased risk of several cancers. Those cancers include head and neck, esophageal, liver, breast and colorectal.
A study published in JAMA Network Open about two years ago found that people with “heavy drinking levels had an associated higher risk” of developing alcohol-related cancers “than those who did not drink.” The study included 4.5 million participants who self-reported their drinking habits. The results concluded people who reduced their alcohol consumption lowered their risk.
Conversely, “Those with moderate or heavy drinking levels who quit drinking had a higher all cancer incidence than those who sustained their levels, but when quitting was sustained, this increase in risk disappeared.”
Additionally, the American Cancer Society warns that alcohol consumption can increase your risk for many different types of cancer. Considering cancers of the mouth, throat, voice box and esophagus, for example, alcohol “clearly” increases risk. That being said, the ACS notes that drinking and smoking together puts you at a much higher risk for these cancers than drinking or smoking alone.
Alcohol Can Increase the Risk of Developing Breast Cancer
“This might be because alcohol can help harmful chemicals in tobacco get inside the cells that line the mouth, throat, and esophagus,” the ACS website states. “Alcohol may also limit how these cells can repair damage to their DNA caused by the chemicals in tobacco.”
When it comes to liver cancer, “long-term alcohol use has been linked to an increased risk.” When you regularly drink a lot of alcohol, liver damage can occur and lead to inflammation and scarring a possible explanation for the increased risk.
We also know there’s a clear link between breast cancer and alcohol consumption. In November 2017, the American Society of Clinical Oncology published a statement citing evidence that links alcohol to multiple cancers and calling for reduced alcohol consumption as a way to cut people’s cancer risk. But many women said they had been drinking more during the pandemic, and 70 percent weren’t aware of the resulting increased cancer risk, according to a SurvivorNet survey in February 2021.
RELATED: Warning to Drinkers: ‘Strong Link’ Found Between Alcohol and Deadly Cancers
In an earier interview with SurvivorNet, Dr. Elizabeth Comen, an oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and a SurvivorNet medical advisor, said every drink consumed increased cancer risk.
“What that means is a linear response to risk, meaning that each drink increases a woman’s risk for breast cancer. So binge drinking, it’s not good for anybody,” she said. “And it’s also not good for a woman’s increased risk of breast cancer.”
The ACS also reports that alcohol use has been linked with a higher risk of cancers of the colon and rectum with stronger evidence for this in men than in women, though studies have found the link in both sexes.
Does Alcohol Impact the Risks for Colon and Other Cancers?
Dr. Heather Yeo, a colorectal cancer surgeon at New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, also previously spoke with SurvivorNet, revealing she believes alcohol increases risk for certain cancers but acknowledged that the data was mixed, especially for colon cancer.
“I do think that high levels of alcohol certainly predispose to a certain number of cancers, including pancreatic and liver cancer, and may predispose to colon cancer,” she said.
“But there’s also some data that shows that low levels of alcohol, or a glass of wine here and there, may actually lower your risk of colon cancer.”
Making Decisions On Alcohol Consumption
It’s important to note that alcohol consumption may increase the risk of developing these cancers, but it doesn’t necessarily cause these cancers. That being said, it’s hard to know what to do if you’re concerned about your alcohol intake increasing your risk of various cancers.
Dr. Elizabeth Comen acknowledges the mixed messages coming from the healthcare community regarding alcohol consumption.
“I think we’ve probably been getting the public mixed messages about alcohol,” Dr. Comen said. “In some instances, we say that drinking wine might be good for the heart, and we don’t necessarily offer great specific guidelines about how much alcohol is safe to drink.”
Dr. Comen’s advice isn’t to necessarily stop drinking altogether. She just wants people to think about moderation and own the decisions they make.
“Patients ask me this all the time, ‘Well, how much can I drink?'” she said. “If you want to have absolutely no risk from alcohol, then don’t drink at all. But probably having less than four glasses a week of alcohol is probably OK.”
Dr. Heather Yeo also stressed the importance of moderation, telling SurvivorNet, “For women, anything over a half a glass or a glass a day is probably not helping your overall health. For men, they can probably go one to two glasses before they start seeing health effects.”
Helpful Tips to Help You Avoid Alcohol
Do you struggle with alcohol in times of stress? In Victoria Martin’s case, she did. Martin is a breast cancer survivor and wellness coach who used her own experience to help others with alcohol addiction.
Speaking to SurvivorNet in an earlier interview, Martin shared some helpful tips and actionable steps people can use to help break unhealthy habits and cope with stress without alcohol.
- Mindset: Instead of looking at it like this is something you have to give up, try making a tiny shift in your language and thinking that still feels true. Have an open mind and think about what you will gain and learn, rather than approaching from deprivation.
- Be Curious: What would it feel like to experience some new thoughts and feelings to replace the worn-out ones? It is empowering to realize that you can change your patterns and see what is on the other side.
- Understand This is Not the Garden of Eden: Thinking of anything as a “forbidden fruit” creates even greater cravings, feelings of resentment, and deprivation. You are simply getting curious and creating changes that you get to make. Also, emotional attachments to our habits are very real, so it is perfectly healthy to acknowledge and honor these feelings.
- Create a Toolbox: Habits that no longer serve us, did serve a purpose at some point, and that is part of why we use them past their expiration date. You may be surprised at how uncomfortable some moments can be, but you can learn tools and tactics that will make it easier than staying stuck.
- Find Your People: You are not alone. Luckily, there is strength in numbers and a community where you can connect with people who understand what it is like. Sharing your experience won’t just help you feel less alone, but you will be helping others.
- Drop the “Shoulds”: One of the quickest ways to be defeated is by “shoulding ourselves.” Expecting to be perfect and tearing ourselves down will only lead to our maladaptive habits gaining more of a foothold. Practice speaking to yourself the way you would speak to a friend and see how kindness gets you moving in the right direction.
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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