More than half of American adults do not realize alcohol raises cancer risk, and people who drink are the least aware, according to a research letter published October 30, 2025, in JAMA Oncology. The analysis, led by MD Anderson Cancer Center, draws on a national survey of nearly 7,000 adults and underscores the need for clearer public education.
New research from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center reports low public awareness of alcohol’s link to cancer in the United States. The study, published online October 30, 2025, in JAMA Oncology, analyzed responses from the 2024 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS), which included nearly 7,000 adults (mean age 48). About 48.4% of respondents were female; 60.7% identified as white, 17.5% as Hispanic, and 11% as Black. More than half reported drinking in the past month, and nearly 10% had a personal history of cancer. (jamanetwork.com)
Participants were asked, “In your opinion, how does drinking alcohol affect the risk of getting cancer?” Overall, 52.9% underestimated or misunderstood the risk; only 37.1% recognized that alcohol increases cancer risk, while 1% believed it decreases risk. People who had recently consumed alcohol were especially likely to say drinking has no effect on cancer risk. (sciencedaily.com)
Lead author Sanjay Shete, Ph.D., professor of Biostatistics and Epidemiology and Betty B. Marcus Chair in Cancer Prevention at MD Anderson, called the findings alarming: “It’s concerning that people who drink alcohol are the ones most likely to believe it has no effect on cancer risk,” he said, emphasizing the need to correct misperceptions to reduce alcohol‑related cancers. (mdanderson.org)
The World Health Organization classifies alcohol as a Group 1 carcinogen—the same category as tobacco, asbestos and radiation—and it is causally linked to at least seven cancers, including female breast, liver and colorectal. Earlier NIH‑cited global estimates attribute about 5.5% of all new cancer cases and 5.8% of cancer deaths worldwide to alcohol; more recent analyses estimate about 4.1% of new cases in 2020. (who.int)
Researchers said addressing misbeliefs could help people follow established alcohol recommendations and aligns with the U.S. Surgeon General’s 2025 advisory urging cancer‑risk warnings on alcoholic beverages. (sciencedaily.com)
Certain groups were more likely to be unaware of the risk: current cigarette smokers, Black individuals, people with lower education levels, and those who do not believe cancer is preventable. (mdanderson.org)
The study was supported by the National Cancer Institute (P30CA016672) and the Betty B. Marcus Chair in Cancer Prevention. (sciencedaily.com)
