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Causes of cancer

Alcohol and cancer

Alcohol causes 7 types of cancer, including breast, mouth and bowel cancer. Whatever you drink, cutting down can lower your risk. Find out about how alcohol causes cancer and how to reduce your risk.

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How does alcohol cause cancer?

All types of alcohol can cause cancer. Alcohol gets broken down in the body into a harmful chemical. It can also affect our body’s chemical signals, increasing the chance that cancer will develop.

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How can I cut down on alcohol?

Cutting down on alcohol can reduce your cancer risk. Making a few changes to your routine can make a big difference in helping you drink less.

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Alcohol is one part of our diet

What we eat and drink is important in our diet. It's not always easy to eat and drink healthily, but we've got lots of tips to help you make healthy changes.

Easy read information

We have easy-read information available. This leaflet tells you about some of things you can do to try not to get cancer.

How to try not to get cancer - Easy read

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Nurse helpline

Questions about cancer? Call freephone 0808 800 40 40 from 9 to 5 - Monday to Friday. Alternatively, you can email us.