Alcoholic drinks, especially beer and spirits, may raise the risk of pancreatic cancer, a new study has found. 

Pancreatic cancer ranks as the 12th most frequent cancer globally and carries a high death rate, particularly when detected late. In 2022, it was responsible for 5% of all cancer fatalities worldwide.

Published in PLOS Medicine, the research draws from 30 long-term studies spanning Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America, offering evidence that cutting back on alcohol could help prevent this lethal cancer.

While the World Health Organization (WHO) has maintained for years now that no amount of alcohol can be considered safe for our health, the new study establishes that increased drinking was also linked with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer. 

More alcohol intake, more risk

Led by scientists at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the study found that each additional 10g of alcohol consumed per day was associated with a 3 percent increase in pancreatic cancer risk.

For women consuming 15 to 30g of alcohol daily, about one to two drinks, the risk rose by 12 percent compared to light drinkers. Among men, those who drank 30 to 60g daily faced a 15 percent increased risk, while men drinking more than 60g daily saw a 36 percent higher risk. 

The researchers noted that further research is needed to better understand the impact of lifetime alcohol consumption, including patterns such as binge drinking and early-life exposure.

The data showed a clear trend. For every extra 10g of alcohol consumed daily, the risk of pancreatic cancer ticked up by 3%. Women appeared particularly vulnerable, with a notable risk increase at 15g per day, while men saw significant risk at 30g.

“Findings from this large-scale pooled analysis support a modest positive association between alcohol intake and pancreatic cancer risk, irrespective of sex and smoking status,” the researchers said. Pancreatic cancer, with its low 5-year survival rate, claims countless lives annually, making prevention critical.

Also read: Is High Alcohol Tolerance a Red Flag? Risks Expert Insights