The cancer risk of drinking alcohol has been highlighted in a report from the US Surgeon General, who has called for a warning label an all product containing alcohol, similar to those on tobacco products.

According to the new report, Alcohol and Cancer Risk, consuming alcohol increases the risk of developing at least seven types of cancer: mouth, throat, voice box, esophagus, breast, liver and colon and rectum.

The majority of all alcohol-attributable deaths are due to different types of cancers.

Consumer awareness of the dangers of alcohol are low, in spite of the International Agency for Research on Cancer categorising it as a Group One carcinogen, in the same category as tobacco, radiation and asbestos.

There are four ways alcohol can cause cancer: it breaks down into acetaldehyde which damages DNA in multiple ways.

It induces oxidative stress which increases inflammation and damages DNA, proteins and cells.

Alcohol also alters the levels of many hormones, including oestrogen, which can increase breast cancer risk.

Carcinogens from other sources, such as those found in tobacco can dissolve in alcohol making them easier for the body to absorb.

Women drinking less than one unit of alcohol per week have a 16.5 per cent greater chance of developing cancer and the risk increases to 21.8 per cent by having one alcoholic drink per day.

With men the risk of developing cancer is 10 per cent, rising to 13.1 per cent with two alcoholic drinks per day.

About four more women out of 100 would develop breast cancer as a result of consuming two alcohol drinks a day.

In 2020, 741,300 cancer cases worldwide were attributable to alcohol consumption.

Liz Terry, editor of HCM, said: "Health and fitness and spa and wellness operators are perfectly placed to educate members of the public about the impact of alcohol consumption on their health and the risks involved.

"Many people are simply not aware that alcohol is a Group One carcinogen and that each drink is washing the body with toxins that can trigger or exacerbate a cancer. If this knowledge was shared, people could make more informed choices."