Just One Pint of Beer a Day 'Boosts Cancer Risk'

Drinking just one pint of beer a day increases the risk of liver and bowel cancer by a fifth, a health expert has warned.

A large glass of wine or a couple of spirits can have the same damaging effect, she said.

Dr. Rachel Thompson, science programme manager for World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), warned that just two units of alcohol a day increases the risk of bowel cancer by 18 percent and the risk of liver cancer by a fifth.

"If you are drinking a pint of lager or a large glass of wine every day then this might not seem like a lot," she said.

"But the science shows you are increasing your risk of bowel cancer by 18 percent and your risk of liver cancer by 20 percent.

"When you consider how many cases of these types of cancer are diagnosed in the UK every year, it is clear that drinking even relatively small amounts of alcohol can make a significant difference.

"Yet despite strong evidence, most people still do not know that alcohol increases risk of cancer, so it is clear we need to do more to get this message across."

According to the WCRF, there is also convincing evidence that drinking alcohol also increases the risk of breast cancer and cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx and esophagus.