Professor Benedict Calys-Tagoe, Head of the Department of Community Health at the University of Ghana Medical School (UGMS), has warned that excessive alcohol consumption is a major lifestyle factor driving cancer cases in Ghana.

Speaking on JoyNews’ AM Show during a discussion on cancer care in the country, Prof Calys-Tagoe said the real danger lies not in occasional social drinking, but in heavy and repeated alcohol use.

“If we take alcohol use, alcohol is one of the risk factors,” he said. “It’s not so much of the social drinking… it is the excess drinking.”

He explained that while Ghana’s overall alcohol consumption may not be among the highest globally, harmful drinking patterns remain worrying.

According to him, about 9.4% of Ghanaians engage in binge drinking, while around 4% suffer from alcohol use disorder. He added that 13% of adolescents aged between 10 and 19 also face alcohol-related problems.

Prof Calys-Tagoe said excessive drinking places pressure on the liver, which is responsible for breaking down alcohol in the body.

“The more alcohol you take, the more work you give your liver to do. Eventually, your liver may develop a condition called cirrhosis… and that can later on lead to cancer of the liver,” he noted.

He stressed that the risk is linked to quantity rather than the type of alcohol consumed, explaining that stronger drinks contain higher alcohol concentrations.

His comments come as health experts continue to call for stronger public education on lifestyle diseases and cancer prevention in Ghana, where non-communicable diseases are becoming an increasing burden on the health system.

Medical professionals say reducing harmful alcohol use, improving diets, and regular screening remain key steps in lowering cancer risks.

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Excess alcohol increases cancer risk in Ghana - Prof Calys-Tagoe

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