Drinking beer—even in small amounts—may significantly increase the risk of mouth cancer, according to new research from the Tata Memorial Centre (TMC), adding to growing evidence that there may be no safe level of alcohol consumption.
The study, reported on Tuesday, found that people who consumed an average of just two grams of alcohol per day from beer had a 59 per cent higher risk of developing cancer of the buccal mucosa compared with non-drinkers. Buccal mucosa refers to the pink lining of the cheeks and lips.
Researchers described the findings as part of one of India’s largest analyses examining the link between alcohol use and oral cancers. The results were published in the journal BMJ Global Health.
Buccal mucosa cancer is a major public health concern in India. It is the country’s second most common cancer after breast cancer, accounting for an estimated 140,000 new cases and nearly 80,000 deaths each year.
The study also identified groups at particularly high risk. People who consume more than one glass of alcohol a day and chew tobacco regularly were found to be five times more likely to develop buccal mucosa cancer than those who neither drink nor use tobacco.
According to the research, the combined use of alcohol and tobacco is responsible for around 62 per cent of all buccal mucosa cancer cases in India. Tobacco alone increased cancer risk by 200 per cent, alcohol alone by 76 per cent, but using both together raised the risk by 346 per cent.
“We see an unmistakable pattern: the more alcohol people drink, the greater their risk of buccal mucosal cancer,” said Sharayu Mhatre, head of molecular epidemiology and population genomics at TMC’s Cancer Epidemiology Unit, as quoted by The Telegraph.
The study analysed data from more than 3,700 participants, comparing patients with buccal mucosa cancer to healthy individuals. Alcohol consumption included beer, spirits such as whisky and vodka, and locally brewed drinks like bangla and tharra, with ethanol levels ranging from about 5 per cent in beer to as high as 90 per cent in some unregulated spirits.
Researchers found that unregulated, locally brewed alcohol posed the highest risk, increasing the likelihood of cancer by 87 per cent. In comparison, regulated, commercially sold alcoholic beverages were associated with a 72 per cent higher risk. Experts noted that local brews often contain higher ethanol concentrations and lack quality control.
Alarmingly, the increased risk was evident even at low levels of consumption. Researchers warned that even minimal daily intake—such as small amounts of beer—could be harmful.
Buccal mucosa cancer also has poor outcomes when detected late. Among patients diagnosed at locally advanced stages, 57 out of 100 die within five years, underscoring the need for prevention and early detection.
Health experts say the findings reinforce warnings from the World Health Organization, which has stated that no level of alcohol consumption is safe and that even light drinking contributes to cancer risk.
For a country where oral cancers remain widespread, researchers stress that reducing alcohol and tobacco use, improving public awareness, and tightening regulation of locally brewed alcohol are critical steps to protect oral health and save lives.