Heavy alcohol drinkers are more likely to develop colorectal cancer than non-consumers of alcoholic beverages.
This study investigated the effect of alcohol consumption on colorectal cancer risk. Researchers examined the alcohol intake of 25,279 Japanese men between the ages of 40-64 years recruited from the Miyagi Cohort Study. The colorectal cancer hazard ratio of each of the participant in this study was also determined.
Researchers observed a high incidence of colorectal cancer among heavy drinkers of alcohol. According to this study, consistent consumption of alcohol was found to increase the risk of developing cancer in the rectum, distal colon, but not in the proximal colon. The findings of this study show that regular intake of alcohol may contribute positively to the development of cancerous cells in the rectum and distal colon.