The disturbing truth about the link between alcohol and cancer and whether YOU could be at risk… as the Princess of Wales reveals her relationship with drinking has changed since beating the disease

Catherine, the Princess of Wales, made a quiet but powerful statement on Thursday: she skipped the beer and cider at a London beerhall, a choice shaped by her being in remission for cancer.

While the 44-year-old mother-of-three has historically been photographed enjoying drinks at public engagements, the Princess has recently reduced her alcohol intake following her diagnosis.

Opting for a soft drink instead, the wife of Prince William told owner Hannah Rhodes: ‘It’s something I have to be a lot more conscious of now.’

According to health experts, alcohol consumption not only raises the risk of developing cancers such as breast, colorectal, stomach, head and neck, liver, and mouth cancers, but may also increase the likelihood of these cancers returning. 

This is a consideration likely influencing Catherine’s decision after being diagnosed with an undisclosed type of cancer in 2024 and entering remission in January 2025.

Alcohol can contribute to cancer through inflammation and oxidative stress, both of which damage cells and increase cancer risk.  

In women, alcohol also raises levels of the hormone oestrogen, which has been linked to a higher likelihood of developing breast cancer.

According to Cancer Research UK, the risk of breast cancer rises with every additional unit of alcohol consumed per day, with around eight per cent of breast cancer cases in the UK each year directly linked to alcohol.

How alcohol causes cancer: what happens inside the body 

Limiting or avoiding alcohol consumption is one of the lifestyle changes that can lower the risk of developing many types of cancer. 

Currently, NHS guidelines advise drinking no more than 14 units of alcohol per week- the equivalent of six pints of beer or 10 small glasses of wine – though Cancer Research UK notes there is no completely safe level.

A 2015 study of over 570 cases found that consuming more than three pints a day was associated with an increased risk of mouth, throat, bowel, liver, and breast cancers. 

Meanwhile, the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) warns that just two drinks per day can significantly raise the risk of colorectal cancer, one of the most common cancers in the UK. 

Here’s a closer look at some of the cancers most strongly linked to alcohol consumption:

Alcohol and bowel cancer: is drinking increasing your risk? 

Alcohol can damage the cells that line the inside of the bowel, which makes it more likely for cancer to develop. 

A recent study found that just a couple of alcoholic drinks a night could almost double the risk of certain types of bowel cancer.

The US study drew on a long-running trial tracking tens of thousands of adults aged 18 and over for two decades.

Researchers compared people’s drinking habits across adulthood with who later developed bowel cancer – and found the biggest risks were seen in the heaviest regular drinkers, particularly for cancers in the rectum.

The study found that those having 14 or more drinks a week – just two a night – had a 25 per cent higher risk of colorectal cancer overall, and a 95 per cent higher risk of rectal cancer, compared with light drinkers.

Those who drank no more than one drink a week had no increased risk of colorectal cancer, the research revealed.

According to Bowel Cancer UK, it’s best not to drink alcohol to reduce the risk of cancer.

Breast cancer and alcohol: how even moderate drinking raises risk 

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK and drinking alcohol is one of the biggest risk factors for developing the disease. 

Around one in 10 breast cancer cases are caused by drinking alcohol, which equates to about 4,400 cases a year. 

According to Cancer Research UK, the risk of breast cancer is increased even if you drink at low levels.

Alcohol and liver cancer: why heavy drinking damages the liver 

Heavy, long-term alcohol consumption is a common cause of cirrhosis of the liver, where healthy liver tissue is permanently replaced by scar tissue. 

Cirrhosis causes this scar tissue to build up in the liver, stopping it from working properly. People with cirrhosis are substantially more likely to develop liver cancer.

Even low levels of alcohol may be harmful because the liver can produce toxic substances from alcohol even before cirrhosis has developed, which may contribute to the development of liver cancer.

Nearly half of all liver cancer cases in the UK are preventable and around seven per cent of cases in the UK are caused by drinking alcohol.

Alcohol and mouth and throat cancer: the hidden risks of drinking 

Drinking can cause cancer in some parts of the throat, such as the oesophagus, larynx and pharynx, as well as the mouth.

This happens because alcohol can make it easier for cells in the mouth and throat to absorb harmful chemicals that cause damage.

In fact, a recent study found that drinking even a small amount of alcohol can increase your chances of developing mouth cancer by 50 per cent.

The research, published in BMJ Global Health, found that having just 9g of alcohol a day – which is just slightly over a standard alcohol unit – can make the likelihood of being diagnosed with the potentially fatal disease soar. 

According to the Mouth Cancer Foundation, 10,825 people in the UK were diagnosed with the disease last year, and it was responsible for 3,637 deaths, more than cervical and testicular cancer combined. 

Previous research showed head and neck cancers – including those affecting the mouth and throat – have surged by more than a third in Britain since the early 90s.

Experts say the surge is mostly driven by diagnoses of younger people in their 40s and 50s.

Smoking, alcohol and human papillomavirus (HPV) – a normally harmless virus that is spread sexually and through skin contact – are the primary causes.

In the UK, it is estimated that 70 per cent of cases of mouth and throat cancers are caused by HPV, according to Cancer Research UK.

Alcohol and stomach cancer: what the evidence says 

Stomach cancer is cancer that’s found anywhere in the stomach, part of the digestive system. Many stomach cancers are linked to lifestyle. 

Stomach cancer risk is higher in people who drink three or more units of alcohol each day, compared with people who don’t drink or only drink occasionally.

Smoking and cancer risk: which cancers are caused by tobacco? 

Smoking causes at least 16 different types of cancer and is the biggest cause of lung cancer in the UK and worldwide. 

Smoking causes cancer in multiple ways. The main way is by damaging the DNA in our cells. DNA controls how our cells grow and behave. Damage to DNA causes cells to behave in ways that they’re not supposed to. And the build-up of DNA damage over time can lead to cancer.

The amount you smoke and the length of time you’ve been smoking affect your cancer risk. The more cigarettes you smoke a day, the higher your risk of cancer.