Alcohol consumption is linked to some cancers (Picture: Getty Images) Buying the first round of drinks at his uncle Jimmy’s wake, Peter raised a toast of whisky. At just 67, Jimmy died last month after three years of treatment for colon cancer. Peter, 36, who misses his uncle terribly, is currently under NHS consultant care to see if Jimmy’s death – the sixth in his family to die from colorectal cancer – qualifies him for genetic testing or early screening. Colon cancer is one of seven cancers recognised by the World Health Organisation as being linked to increased alcohol consumption. The other six are breast, bowel, mouth cancer and some types of throat cancer: oesophageal, larynx and pharynx and liver cancer. Yet, despite the connection, Peter has no intention of giving up drinking – and he’s certainly not alone in his choice. There are around 20,900 deaths related to alcohol in England annually, equating to a rate of approximately 38.5 per 100,000 population. ‘I’ve lost an uncle, cousins and a grandparent to bowel or colon cancer,’ says Peter, who is going by just his first name as he wants to avoid potential judgment from friends and colleagues. ‘My consultant told me when I was running through my family history that alcohol consumption is linked to this type of cancer. He asked how many units I have a week and I know I’m over the recommended amount, sometimes double.’ ‘Whether it’s beers before the rugby, a night out with mates or a bottle of wine with my wife, I don’t want to live without alcohol’ (Picture: Getty Images) Peter is keen to point out that alcohol doesn’t rule his life. He might have a beer or cider, then perhaps whisky at the end of a night – sometimes it will be just one or two rather than a binge, while on other occasions he won’t drink at all and choose to drive instead. But he also believes ‘we have to die sometime.’ ‘My wife Sarah doesn’t drink much and hates that I could be putting myself at risk of an early cancer diagnosis but I just can’t handle the thought of going teetotal,’ Peter admits. ‘Whether it’s beers before the rugby or a night out with mates or sharing a bottle of wine with Sarah, I don’t want to live without alcohol. I know it could be shortening my life but no one’s getting out alive and I’d rather be on my deathbed with good memories of happy times shared and for me, alcohol is a part of that. ‘Sarah thinks I’m being selfish and it is something I reappraise a lot, but for now, that’s how I’m going to keep living my life.’ There are around 20,900 deaths related to alcohol in England annually (Picture: Getty Images) GP Dr Helen Wall from the Oaks Family Practice in Bolton says she sees Peter’s type of attitude towards alcohol and cancer risk all the time. ‘In my almost 20 years since qualifying as a doctor I have seen a significant change in the alcohol advice we give when it comes to health,’ she tells Metro. ‘In 2016 the limit for men was reduced from 21 to 14 units a week in recognition that both genders were equally at risk from alcohol harm. The advice also shifted from ‘safe levels of drinking’ to ‘low-risk level of drinking’, pointing out the fact that there is no completely safe level of consuming alcohol. ‘I believe this guidance changed as a result of a review of the evidence on the health risks of alcohol which showed links to several health conditions including cancer even at previously felt to be low-level consumption – two drinks a day,’ adds Dr Wall. Alcohol can do more than just damage our livers (Picture: Getty Images) ‘If I ask a patient how alcohol can damage their health most will say it may cause liver damage, and they’re correct but there are now known to be so many other effects on health.’ How alcohol impacts our bodies Long-term health issues caused by alcohol, for more information, click here. Brain Damage: Long-term alcohol misuse can cause issues with memory, recall, retention of information and coordination. Digestive problems: Alcohol can interfere with the body’s gut biome leading to an imbalance and digestive issues Sexual dysfunction: Too much alcohol can cause difficulties with desire performance and function for both men and women, it can also contribute to infertility. Liver Disease: Drinking too much can lead to liver conditions including fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer. Heart Disease: Alcohol increases blood pressure, it can also result in a weakening of the heart muscle. Alcohol increases the risk of stroke, irregular heartbeats known as arrhythmia, heart failure and stroke. Pancreatitis: Alcohol irritates the pancreas and prolonged use and binge drinking can lead to inflammation which can then result in chronic pancreatitis. Mental Health Problems: Drinking more than the recommended amount of alcohol can increase the risk of depression and anxiety. It could contribute to other mental health conditions. Weakened Immune System: The immune system becomes weaker and compromised with excessive alcohol consumption which can mean drinkers are more susceptible to infections and take longer to heal. However, many people continue to drink alcohol despite knowing its risks because it can be a way to cope with stress, social pressures, or habit, explains Dr Hall. ‘Everyone is so much more stressed in these times it seems,’ she says. ‘The short-term pleasure or relaxation due to its affects on GABA receptors in the brain can feel beneficial. This feeling often outweighs concerns about long-term health for some individuals.’ Tabbin Almond was 54 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in January 2014, but it took her another four years before it was linked to alcohol consumption. ‘I was in advertising for years living in London. It was a very boozy culture back in the early 90s – budgets were big and we were wined and dined a lot,’ she recalls. ‘Lunch for four would be gin and tonics to start then a couple of bottles of wine followed by port or sambucas. Deep down I think I knew I was a functioning alcoholic – I’d easily drink the government guidelines for a week in a day.’ Tabbin used to work in advertising and says that she was a functioning alcoholic (Picture: Supplied) After moving to Devon in 1998 to raise a family, Tabbin tried to change her relationship with drink. ‘I was going to funerals of people younger than me that I’d worked with who – with hindsight – might have died from health conditions exacerbated or caused by their consumption,’ she tells Metro. ‘It started to become a wake-up call. I tried Alcoholics Anonymous but it didn’t work for me. The group I attended had people whose lives had been ruined by alcohol, I felt like I was very much a middle-lane drinker.’ While over 3 million people die globally every year through alcohol-related causes, including cancer, a 2018 study in The Lancet found drinking more than seven drinks a week (100 grams of alcohol) shortened life expectancy. The research also revealed ten to 15 drinks per week reduced life expectancy by one to two years, while 18 or more drinks per week shortened life expectancy by between four and five years. In light of the dangers, lobby groups are behind a growing call for alcohol in the UK to carry health warning labels in much the same way that cigarettes do but currently, the only obligation for alcohol is to have nutritional, allergen and ingredient labels on. The Lancet found drinking more than seven alcoholic beverages a week shortened life expectancy (Picture: Getty Images) At the start of the year in America, US Surgeon General Dr Vivek Murthy also called for warning labels on alcohol so people knew the link between consumption and cancer, but no law exists that makes the labelling of this relationship mandatory. Meanwhile, despite the glorification of booze – from the boom of bottomless brunches to ‘wine time’ merch – the alcohol-free drinks industry in the UK has skyrocketed in recent years with sales of no and low-alcohol drinks worth around £221 million a year. It’s clear a shift is finally taking place surrounding our perception of alcohol. ‘Almost half of individuals aged 18 to 34 have stopped drinking alcohol completely, and over half in this age group report reducing their intake, often due to health concerns and the negative impact of alcohol on well-being and sleep,’ explains Dr Wall. However, Tabbin admits that back in 2007, although having stopped drinking, she started again following her breast cancer diagnosis. After a full mastectomy, she had her lymph nodes tested to see if the cancer had spread. Tabbin discovered the cancer was in all seven of the lymph nodes. As she turned to wine to cope with the news, she had no clue that it could be linked to the disease that was ravaging her body. ‘I didn’t put two and two together at the time. When I was told I had cancer, I was pretty healthy,’ she remembers. ‘I’d been alcohol-free for a while, I ran marathons, I wasn’t overweight, I ate really well, I didn’t have a family history of breast cancer. Tabbin had stopped drinking but started again after she was diagnosed with breast cancer (Picture: Supplied) ‘At the time, there seemed to be no logical explanation for why I had got cancer. All I knew was that I was terrified. I came back from the hospital the day I was told and drank a bottle of wine. I didn’t want to be in my head. I went back to alcohol to numb the fear about my own mortality.’ Ten months of further surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy ensued before Tabbin was declared cancer-free in November 2014. ‘The irony is I have a picture of me with a glass of prosecco right after my last radiotherapy session. I honestly didn’t link the two until a few years later,’ she says. ‘When I was finishing the frequent observations and checks, I asked my consultant what I could do to reduce the risk of cancer coming back and not once did he or anyone during my treatment talk to me about alcohol.’ Instead, Tabbin did her own research and discovered in 2018 that her oestrogen receptor breast cancer is linked to an increased alcohol intake. Studies have shown a link between alcohol and cancer (Picture: Getty Images) She learned that one in 10 breast cancer cases is linked to alcohol consumption and that the risk of the disease increases by 40% with the consumption of five units or more a day. It was enough to make Tabbin stop drinking completely and she hasn’t drunk since. ‘I know in myself my alcohol intake was contributory and I believe at least 50% of the reason for my diagnosis,’ she says. ‘I asked my consultant about the links between cancers and alcohol intake. He said that the WHO findings were widely accepted but that most medical professionals don’t talk about the link between alcohol and cancer because they don’t want people with cancer to feel judged or like they might have had lifestyle factors that contributed to their diagnosis. Tabbin says she didn’t connect her breast cancer with her alcohol consumption until a few years later (Picture: Supplied) ‘I understand that, but for people like me with oestrogen receptor cancers, continuing to drink alcohol is like poking the fire. At some point, medical professionals and those who treat people with cancer need to start speaking to their patients about the links. We need to be more responsible for our own health.’ While Tabbin now runs Wine To Water Coaching, a company that helps businesses and individuals appraise their relationship with alcohol, Dr Wall says she’s also seen a difference in the relationship her patients have with alcohol. ‘The good news is things appear to be changing. Recent surveys indicate a significant shift in alcohol consumption among our young people,’ she explains. ‘I have seen this in my patient cohorts – maybe it’s time older generations followed suit.’ Do you have a story you’d like to share? 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