Three drinks a day ‘can cause cancer’

Drinking three alcoholic drinks a day can cause liver cancer, research has suggested.

Being overweight or obese and consuming foods contaminated by aflatoxins (toxins produced by certain fungi) also showed “strong evidence” of causing the disease, the World Cancer Research Fund said.

Its research, which analysed 34 studies involving 8.2m people, more than 24,500 of whom had liver cancer, also suggested higher consumption of coffee “probably” protects against liver cancer, while physical activity and fish consumption may also decrease the risk, although further research is needed.

Aflatoxins are produced by inappropriate storage of food and are generally an issue related to foods from warmer regions of the world. Foods that may be affected include cereals, spices, pea-nuts, pistachios, Brazil nuts, chillies, black pepper, dried fruit, and figs.

The study said the “overall evidence was consistent with a positive dose-response relationship for alcohol and liver cancer”.

“There was ample evidence suggestive of a non-linear relationship with a statistically significant effect above about 45g per day,” it states.

“No conclusion was possible for intakes below 45g per day.

“The CUP (Continuous Update Project) panel concluded the consumption of alcoholic drinks is a convincing cause of liver cancer. This is based on evidence for alcohol intakes above about 45g per day (around three drinks a day).”

The report, described as the most comprehensive review to date of global research into the relationship between diet, weight, physical activity, and liver cancer, advised that women should try to limit their alcohol intake to one drink per day and men to two drinks a day.