Alcohol use held steady among cancer survivors
The drinking rate of adults who have had cancer has remained unchanged for nearly a decade, according to a new study by researchers at the WashU Brown School.
A recent study led by researchers at the Brown School at Washington University found that alcohol consumption among U.S. adults with a history of cancer has remained largely unchanged over the past decade, while rates among those without cancer have declined. Analyzing data from nearly 4 million Americans collected between 2016 and 2024, the researchers discovered that 45.8% of cancer survivors reported drinking alcohol in the past 30 days, compared to a recent decline to 51.5% among non-cancer survivors.
Past-30-day alcohol use remained stable for cancer survivors between 2016 and 2024. While overall alcohol use was lower among cancer survivors, the study could not determine if individuals altered their drinking behavior after diagnosis. Health care providers are advised to discuss alcohol use and its potential link to cancer risk with their patients.
Written by urgent.news from Medical Xpress's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
