Small drinking also increases cancer risk, study says

Researchers at the University of Tokyo analyzed clinical data from 2005 to 2016 at 33 general hospitals across Japan, involving more than 63,000 cancer patients and an equivalent number of control group respondents, who were asked how much they drank and how long they drankAfter factoring in gender, occupation, the researchers found that people who did not drink alcohol had the lowest overall risk of cancer, and that the higher the amount of alcohol consumed, the higher the overall risk of cancerEven if you drink a small amount of alcohol every day, the overall risk of cancer increases by 5% when you drink for 10 yearsThose who drank less than two glasses a day had an increased risk of cancer regardless of how long they drankstudy, a standard-sized glass contained 23 grams of ethanol, equivalent to 180ml sake, 500ml beer or 60ml of whiskyTen years of alcohol consumption is equivalent to one glass of wine a day, 10 years in a row or two drinks a day, and five years in a rowCancer is the leading cause of death in Japan,researchers wrote in an article published on the website of the American Cancer Society's journal Cancer, suggesting that the association between alcohol consumption and cancer risk be more widely communicated to the public.