Drink blamed for oral cancer rise

UK experts say alcohol is largely to blame for an “alarming” rise in the rate of oral cancers among men in their forties.

According to Cancer Research UK alcohol consumption has doubled since the 1950s and is the most likely culprit alongside smoking. By consequence numbers of cancers of the lip, mouth, tongue and throat in this age group have risen by 26% in the past decade. There are 5,000 newly diagnosed cases per year in the UK and each year around 1,800 people die from the disease.