Moderate wine drinkers don‘t seem to have an increased colorectal cancer risk

This prospective study from Harvard University (with 2 groups of health professionals who have been followed up for 30 years) aimed to provide new evidence regarding the long-standing controversy of light to moderate consumption of alcoholic beverages with colorectal cancer (CRC), in particular concerning drinking pattern, beverage type and how long it would take after alcohol consumption and the occurrence of CRC.

The researchers observed a higher risk of CRC in light to moderate drinkers compared to non-drinkers in men but not in women. The findings indicate that higher consumption of alcoholic beverages, especially in the form of liquor or beer and not wine was associated with increased risk of CRC. The time lag between the consumption of alcoholic beverages and CRC occurrence might be around 10 years, and former drinkers did not experience a significant reduction in CRC risk even after 10 years of quitting or reducing consumption.