Drinking Alcohol and Leukemia: Important Facts Everyone Should Know

Alcohol and leukemia. Are they linked? In a word, no. There is medical agreement that alcohol is not a risk factor for leukemia (leukaemia). Medical groups have analyzed the medical research on alcohol and leukemia. They have concluded that drinking alcohol is not a risk factor for leukemia.

Among many others, these groups include the National Cancer Institute, the American Cancer Society, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

                Overview

          1. Forms of Leukemia
          2. Not Only among Children
          3. Moderate Drinking
          4. Resources

I. Forms of Leukemia

Alcohol drinking is not a risk factor for any of the various forms of leukemia:

    • Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). The most common form of leukemia in young children.
    • Acute myleoid leukemia (AML). This form of leukemia occurs most often in adults.
    • B-cell leukemia (B-PLL). This is a more aggressive form of leukemia.
    • Childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. This is the most common childhood cancer.
    • Childhood myeloid leukemia. This is the second most common leukemia in children.
    • Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). This incurable leukemia occurs most often among those over age 55.
    • Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). This form of leukemia is rare among children. It occurs with about equal frequency among male and female adults.
    • Eosinophilic leukemia. This form of leukemia is rare.
    • Hairy cell leukemia (HCL). About 80% of HCL victims are adult men.
    • Plasma cell leukemia (PCL). This is a rare leukemia largely found among adult males.
    • T-cell prolymphocytic leukemia (T-PLL). This is a very rare and leukemia affecting adults.

II. Not Only among Children: Alcohol and Leukemia

Leukemia is the most common type of cancer in children. The most common form of the disease in young people is acute lymphoblastic leukemia. It’s also called acute lymphocytic leukemia and acute lymphoid leukemia. However, leukemia also occurs among adults. So it’s not only a “childhood disease.”

Drinking alcohol in moderation is not a risk factor for developing leukemia. On the other hand, the moderate consumption of alcohol is associated with better health and longer life. That’s in comparison to either abstaining from alcohol or drinking abusively.

III. Moderate Drinking

A federal agency (NIAAA) has described drinking in moderation. It’s a man having two drinks per day per day. For a woman, it’s having one drink per day.

A standard alcoholic drink is any of these.alcohol and leukemia

    • 12-ounce can or bottle of regular beer
    • 5-ounce glass of dinner wine
    • One shot (one and one-half ounces) of liquor or distilled spirits. That is, whiskey, vodka, tequila, rum etc.

Standard drinks all contain 0.6 ounce of pure alcohol.

No form of alcohol gives greater health benefits than another.  So beer, wine, and liquor (spirits) are equal in this regard.

IV. Resources: Alcohol and Leukemia

Popular Books

Scientific Readings on Alcohol and Leukemia Risk

    • Brown, L., et al. Alcohol and leukemia. Leukem Res, 1992, 169(10), 979-984.
    • Gorini, G., et al. Alcohol and leukemi risk. Leukem Res, 2007, 31(3), 379-386.
    • Infante-Rivard, C. and El-Zein, M. Parental alcohol consumption and childhood cancers: a review. J Tox Environ, Part B, 2007, 10(1 & 2), 101-129.
    • Pogoda, J., et al. Alcohol consumption and risk of adult-onset acute myeloid leukemia. Leukem Res, 2004, 28(9), 927-931.
    • Rauscher, G., et al. Alcohol intake and incidence of de novo adult acute leukemia. Leukem Res, 2004, 28(12), 1263-1265.
    • Shu, X-O., et al. Parental alcohol consumption and risk of infant leukemia. J Nat Cancer Inst, 1996, 88(1), 24.

Sources

Note

This site gives no advice. Please see a doctor about alcohol and leukemia concerns.