A new study led by researchers at the University of Victoria has added to growing evidence that alcohol consumption can increase the risk of developing pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest forms of the disease.
The research, conducted by the university’s Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research (CISUR), found a dose-response relationship between alcohol use and pancreatic cancer after accounting for several factors that can affect study results.
The findings were published in the International Journal of Alcohol and Drug Research.
“Right now, the World Health Organization lists seven types of cancer, including mouth, breast and colon cancer, as being linked to alcohol consumption,” said Tim Naimi, CISUR director and co-author of the study. “There has been a growing body of evidence pointing to alcohol consumption as a cause of pancreatic cancer, and this analysis is a significant contribution to that evidence.”
Pancreatic cancer has one of the lowest survival rates among cancers, with only about 12 per cent of Canadians surviving five years after diagnosis.
Researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies, which track groups of people over time, to examine the relationship between alcohol consumption and pancreatic cancer.
The study particularly focuses on ‘former drinker’ bias, which occurs when people who previously consumed alcohol heavily but later quit are categorized as abstainers.
“Often, people who identify as abstainers in these cohort studies used to be heavy drinkers who quit due to health reasons, meaning they may still be feeling long-term effects of alcohol use, including cancer cases,” said Jinhui Zhao, CISUR scientist and lead author of the study.
After adjusting for former drinker bias and other factors such as age, smoking and socioeconomic status, researchers found that consuming more than 24 grams of alcohol per day (a little under two standard Canadian drinks) was associated with a 10-30 per cent increase in risk of developing pancreatic cancer.
“After rigorously analyzing the existing evidence, we strongly believe it’s time to add pancreatic cancer to the list of alcohol-related cancers,” Naimi said.
The study’s authors say the findings contribute to a growing body of research examining the long-term health impacts of alcohol consumption.