According to the United States Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, any type of alcohol consumption puts patients at higher risk of developing cancer.
Dr. Murthy published the 2025 Alcohol and Cancer Risk Advisory. The advisory highlights how drinking alcohol is one of the top “preventable” cancer causes. It also lists evidence collected and recommended actions to take.
According to the advisory, “The risk of cancer increases as the level of consumption increases with higher risk at higher levels of consumption. For certain cancers, like breast, mouth, and throat cancers, evidence shows that this risk may start to increase around one or fewer drinks per day.”
Dr. Murthy recommends updating “the existing Surgeon General’s health warning label on alcohol-containing beverages to include a warning about the risk of cancer associated with alcohol consumption.”
