News di Alcologia

Alcohol and Cancer: the forgotten link

The World Health Organisation has warned about the growing burden of cancer at an alarming pace and emphasised the urgent implementation of efficient prevention strategies.

The often forgotten link in the prevention efforts is the one between alcohol and cancer. There is no level of consumption that is safe as far as cancer is concerned.

First conclusive links between alcohol and cancer were established back in 1987, yet 25 years later only 36% of EU citizens are aware of this link[1]. Alcoholic beverages impact the digestive tract and contribute to development of the breast cancer[2].

Given that Europe is the world’s heaviest drinking region, with some European countries ranking around 2.5 times above the global average this calls for an immediate action[3].

The contribution of alcohol to a range of cancers needs to be better recognized. There needs to be better public information, more awareness among health professionals and effective public health measures to highlight the link and promote action to reduce avoidable illnesses and deaths

International Agency for Research on Cancer emphasises that lessons from cancer control measures show that prevention works but that health promotion alone is insufficient. Adequate legislation plays an important role in reducing exposure and risk behaviours.

(...omissis...)

To find out more visit: www.alcoholandcancer.eu

[1] Eurobarometer, 2010, retrieved from: http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_331_en.pdf

[2] IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans IARC Monographs, Volume 96 http://apps.who.int/bookorders/anglais/detart1.jsp?sesslan=1&codlan=1&codcol=72&codcch=96

[3] WHO Status Report on Alcohol and Health in 35 European Countries (2013) retrieved from: http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/190430/Status-Report-on-Alcohol-and-Health-in-35-European-Countries.pdf

copia integrale del testo si può trovare al seguente link:
http://www.eurocare.org/library/updates/alcohol_and_cancer3

(Articolo pubblicato dal CUFRAD sul sito www.alcolnews.it)