There are many negative consequences associated with the consumption of alcohol. Some are immediate, such as injury or being more likely to engage in risky behaviors. Others are often not realized for years, such as liver disease or some types of cancer. Much research has been conducted to attempt to determine the patterns and frequency of alcohol use that leads to these outcomes.

A new study has recently identified a connection between colon cancer and alcohol consumption. The research is based on data from the Nurses’ Health Study in combination with the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. These databases included 87,000 women and 47,000 men.

The study examined the possibility of a link between colon cancer and alcohol consumption. In addition, if there was a link discovered, the researchers wanted to know about levels of alcohol consumption and whether a presence of family history of colon cancer impacted the results. There were a total of 1,801 cases documented since 1980 in this group.

The researchers found that the participants with a family history who also consumed alcohol at a certain level had an elevated risk of colon cancer. Those who, on average, consumed 30 grams of alcohol per day or more had an increased risk of diagnosis for colon cancer.

Those participants that had the highest level of risk for colon cancer were also the participants who consumed the slightest amount of foliate in the form of green vegetables and cereals. They also ate more red meat and smoked the most. In general these participants had the more unhealthy lives in general of the group studied.

The study also discovered that for those without a family history, there was not a connection between colon cancer and alcohol consumption.

Reviewers of the study expressed concerns that there was no analysis conducted to measure the pattern of drinking and that there was not an increase observed in the rate of cancer with greater alcohol consumption.

In addition, the study showed that cancer risk was lowered with foliate consumption. The findings indicated that the highest risk was for individuals with a family history of colon cancer combined with low levels of foliate intake and a high level of alcohol consumption. This provides support for the inclusion of other types of lifestyle choices, including a healthy diet.

One possible limitation of the study is the age of the data, given that there have been significant advances in screening practices for those who have a family history of colon cancer. There have been major changes in the frequency and age of recommended screenings for those who are at a higher risk for the disease.

Further research may be necessary to examine the pattern and frequency of alcohol consumption in those with a family history of colon cancer to determine if these behaviors have an influence on the rate of colon cancer.