A body of scientific evidence demonstrates a causal relationship between alcohol use and increased risk for at least seven different types of cancer, including breast (in women), colorectum, esophagus, liver, mouth (oral cavity), throat (pharynx), and voice box (larynx).

Interestingly, white wine was associated with higher cancer risk in women and a 22 per cent increased risk of skin cancer.

A new meta-analysis published has shattered the popular belief that red wine is a healthier alcoholic option. After analyzing data from 42 studies, researchers found no significant difference in overall cancer risk between red and white wine and no type of wine was shown to be safe when it comes to cancer prevention.

A Lead author at Brown University holds that red wine's reputation for being healthier due to antioxidants like resveratrol doesn't hold up. He and his team found no strong evidence that red wine lowers cancer risk.

Interestingly, white wine was associated with higher cancer risk in women and a 22 per cent increased risk of skin cancer in some studies though researchers noted that lifestyle factors like sun exposure could play a role.

When focusing on more reliable cohort studies, the link between white wine and increased cancer risk was stronger, but no significant risk increase was seen with red wine.

Still, each daily glass of red wine was linked to a 5 per cent increase in cancer risk, though this wasn't statistically significant in deeper analyses. This challenges the idea that red wine is a safe' alcohol. The real takeaway is that alcohol in any form carries risk.

A spokesperson for the Cancer Prevention Alliance sums it up: ‘While these findings debunk some common myths, the message remains clear limiting alcohol is one of the simplest ways to reduce cancer risk.’ Another study shows that in India, 3 in 5 die following cancer diagnosis, and women are more affected. The incidence to mortality ratio in the US was found to be about one in four, while in China it was one in two.

The findings also revealed that the five most common cancers affecting both genders collectively account for 44 per cent of cancer burden in India.

Three in every five people in India succumb to cancer following diagnosis with women bearing a "disproportionate burden" compared to men, an analysis of global cancer data has estimated.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) study found that India ranked third highest in cancer incidence, after China and the US, and accounted for over 10 per cent of the world's cancer-related deaths, ranking second after China.

Researchers also projected that in the coming two decades, India will face a formidable challenge in managing deaths related to cancer incidence, with a yearly increase of two per cent in cases as the population ages.

The team examined trends in 36 types of cancer across age groups and genders in India over the past 20 years, using the Global Cancer Observatory (GLOBOCAN) 2022 and Global Health Observatory (GHO) databases.

However, women in India were found to bear a "disproportionate burden", as breast cancer continues to be the most prevalent cancer, contributing to 13.8 per cent of new cases from both genders, and cervical cancer the third most (9.2 per cent).

Among women, breast cancer made up for nearly 30 per cent of new cases and over 24 per cent of related deaths, followed by cervical cancer, accounting for over 19 per cent of new cases and almost 20 per cent of deaths.

Among men, oral cancer was found to be the most commonly diagnosed cancer, contributing to 16 per cent new cases, followed by respiratory (8.6 per cent) and esophagus (6.7 per cent) cancer.

The team also detected a shift in cancer prevalence across age groups, with the geriatric age group (aged 70 years and above) exhibiting the highest cancer burden.

Those in the reproductive age group (15-49 years) showed the second highest incidence and were related to a fifth of cancer-related deaths.

Further, the middle- and old-aged individuals have an 8-10 per cent higher chance of developing cancer with a 5.5-7.7 per cent chance of succumbing to it, the authors said.

The findings highlighted the urgency of targeted interventions and strategies to tackle the escalating cancer burden in India, with about 70 per cent of cases and deaths occurring in the middle- and older-age groups, the authors said.

The study is the "first comprehensive evaluation of the current and future landscape of cancer in India, focusing on different age groups and gender disparities." The GLOBOCAN database provides estimates of cases, deaths and prevalence for 36 cancer types, including non-melanoma skin cancer, for 185 countries and territories worldwide.

Recently, it has been observed that the mortality-to-incidence ratio for India (ratio of cancer mortalities to cancer incidences) was 64.47 percent in 2022, the highest while comparing the top 10 countries with the highest number of cancer incidences. Indonesia (58.66 per cent), China (50.57 per cent) and Russia (47.34 per cent) follow behind India.

Cancers of oral cavity and lungs in males and cervix and breast in females account for over 50% of all cancer deaths in India.

Reports have shown over 1.4 million cancer cases in India per year with estimates of the number increasing to over 1.5 million cases by 2025. Currently, the cancer capital of India is located in Kerala, which has the highest incidence of crude cancer cases in the country.

In fact, only 5–10% of all cancer cases can be attributed to genetic defects, whereas the remaining 90–95% have their roots in the environment and lifestyle. The lifestyle factors include cigarette smoking, diet (fried foods, red meat), alcohol, sun exposure, environmental pollutants, infections, stress, obesity, and physical inactivity.

The evidence indicates that of all cancer-related deaths, almost 25–30% are due to tobacco, as many as 30–35% are linked to diet, about 15–20% are due to infections, and the remaining percentage are due to other factors like radiation, stress, physical activity, environmental pollutants etc.

Therefore, cancer prevention requires smoking cessation; increased ingestion of fruits and vegetables; moderate use of alcohol; caloric restriction; exercise; avoidance of direct exposure to sunlight; minimal meat consumption; use of whole grains; use of vaccinations; and, regular check-ups. Thus, cancer is a preventable disease that requires major lifestyle changes.