How much does drinking alcohol actually raise cancer risk, and is any amount considered safe?

The link between alcohol and cancer is well-documented by health organizations. According to the National Cancer Institute and the CDC, alcohol consumption is a known human carcinogen, and there is a clear scientific consensus that the risk of developing several types of cancer increases with the amount of alcohol consumed [1, 2].

Regarding whether any amount is considered "safe," health guidelines provide the following context:

• No threshold for risk: Research indicates that even lower levels of alcohol consumption can be associated with increased cancer risk [2, 3].
• Defining moderation: While "moderate" drinking is often defined by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans as 2 drinks or fewer in a day for men and 1 drink or fewer in a day for women, these guidelines are intended to manage general health risks rather than suggest that there is a level of alcohol consumption that is entirely devoid of cancer risk [2].
• Standard drink measurement: A standard drink in the United States is generally considered to contain 14 grams (about 0.6 ounces) of pure alcohol [1, 3]. Health experts emphasize that there is no "saving up" or averaging; the risk is calculated based on daily consumption [3].

Because alcohol can increase the risk of cancers of the breast, liver, colon, esophagus, and head and neck, experts often suggest that the safest choice is to avoid alcohol entirely or to limit consumption as much as possible [1, 2, 3].