Cancer expert warns of alcohol’s growing health toll in Wisconsin

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Dr. Pankaj Vashi, vice chief of staff at City of Hope Cancer Center Chicago, says the health risks tied to alcohol use, including cancer, are greater than most realize.

Vashi joined us Tuesday, July 29 to talk about a federal report linking even moderate drinking to increased cancer risk. The findings align with a January advisory from U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, who called alcohol a known human carcinogen and urged Congress to require updated warning labels on alcoholic beverages.

Vashi explained that alcohol causes harm not only through acetaldehyde, a toxic byproduct, but also through oxidative stress and hormonal changes that can trigger cancer.

The Interagency Coordinating Committee for the Prevention of Underage Drinking estimates alcohol use contributes to 100,000 cancer cases and 20,000 deaths annually. More information can be found by visiting City of Hope Chicago online.