Alcoholism is related to the development of several human and experimental cancers. The possible mechanisms by which alcohol might induce cancer are reviewed together with the pertinent experimental data including the equivocal role of nitrosamines. Well known human cancers clearly related to alcoholism include head and neck cancer, esophageal cancer, liver cancer, but the evidence linking alcohol and pancreatic cancer or alcohol and colorectal cancer is much weaker. There are hints that alcohol may be one important factor in individuals who develop multiple primary cancers.
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