Lifetime alcohol consumption and upper aero-digestive tract cancer risk in the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study.

Lifetime consumption of alcohol may spur the development of cancerous cells and tumors in the esophagus, pharynx, larynx, and oral cavity.

​This study investigated the link between long-term consumption of alcohol and the probability of developing cancer in organs of the upper aero-digestive tract (UADT), such as the larynx, pharynx, esophagus, and oral cavity. Researchers compared the level of alcohol drinking with the rate of occurrence of upper aero-digestive tract cancers. 

Researchers noted that the risk of having cancer of the esophagus, pharynx, larynx, and oral cavity rose as the rate and duration of alcohol consumption increased. The authors concluded that "limiting alcohol intake from early adulthood may reduce UADT cancer risk."