Alcoholic beverages, particularly beer and spirits, may increase the risk of developing pancreatic cancer, according to a new study led by the UN World Health Organization.
The research, which pooled data from nearly 2.5 million people across Asia, Australia, Europe and North America, revealed a “modest but significant” link between alcohol consumption and pancreatic cancer risk, regardless of sex or smoking status.
“Alcohol consumption is a known carcinogen, but until now, the evidence linking it specifically to pancreatic cancer has been considered inconclusive,” said Pietro Ferrari, senior author of the study and head of the nutrition and metabolism branch at the World Health Organization International Agency for Research on Cancer.
The study revealed that each additional 10 grams of alcohol consumed per day was associated with a three percent increase in pancreatic cancer risk.
Additionally, women consuming 15-30 grams of alcohol daily, which equates to about one to two drinks, had a 12 percent higher risk. Men drinking 30-60 grams daily had a 15 percent increased risk, increasing to 36 percent for those consuming more than 60 grams.
The study confirmed alcohol as an “independent risk factor,” even after accounting for smoking.
Ferrari emphasized that “alcohol is often consumed in combination with tobacco,” but the elevated risk persists among non-smokers.
Pancreatic cancer, a disease that impacts digestive enzyme production and blood sugar regulation, remains one of the deadliest cancers due to late-stage diagnoses. Although it ranks 12th in global cancer incidence, it accounts for 5 percent of all cancer-related deaths, according to the WHO.