From time and again doctors have said that no amount of alcohol is good for you. Alcohol, in fact, is a carcinogen. As per the National Human Genome Research Institute, a carcinogen is a substance, organism or agent capable of causing cancer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) also classifies alcohol as Group 1 carcinogen, which means, there is enough evidence to conclude that it causes cancers in human. The risk of cancer increases with the amount of alcohol consume, and the risk stats from the first drink. As per a new study, it is also linked to pancreatic cancer. While for the longest, the scientific community had "limited" or "inconclusive" connection on it. However, a large study by the World Health Organization's (WHO) IARC looked at data from around 2 million people across 30 studies in four continents. This was done for over 16 years. What Did The Study Find?The study found a slight rise in pancreatic cancer risk linked to alcohol consumption, regardless of gender or smoking status. The increase was more pronounced in women consuming 15 grams or more of alcohol daily, and in men who drank 30 grams or more per day.The study has been published in PLOS Medicine, and it found a modest yet consistent link between alcohol consumption and pancreatic cancer risk. The study found that for every 10 grams of alcohol that is consumed by a person on a daily basis, which amounts to a small glass of wine, the pancreatic cancer risk increases by 3 percent. What Does "Modest Risk" Mean?Among women who consumed between 15 and 30 grams of alcohol per day, the risk of developing pancreatic cancer increased by 12 percent compared to those with only light intake (0.1–5 grams/day). In men, the danger climbed more steeply—those drinking 30 to 60 grams daily faced a 15 percent higher risk, while men consuming over 60 grams saw their risk surge by a striking 36 percent.Put simply, if your daily wind-down routine involves more than the occasional drink, it may be worth thinking twice about what that glass is really costing your health.How Does Alcohol Pave Way For Pancreatic Cancer?Triggers Inflammation: Long-term alcohol use can irritate and inflame the pancreas, a condition known as pancreatitis. Over time, this chronic inflammation becomes a known risk factor for pancreatic cancer.Damages Genetic Material: When alcohol breaks down in the body, it turns into acetaldehyde—a toxic compound that’s notoriously harsh on DNA. It can lead to mutations and interfere with your body’s natural ability to repair damaged cells.Disrupts Glucose Balance: Alcohol interferes with glucose metabolism and insulin function. Since the pancreas plays a central role in both, this disruption puts it under considerable stress and may increase the likelihood of tumour development over time.Drives Oxidative Stress: Drinking introduces oxidative stress—an unhealthy imbalance between damaging free radicals and protective antioxidants. This imbalance harms cell structures and creates an environment in which cancer can thrive.Lowers Immune Defences: Consistent alcohol consumption weakens the immune system, making it harder for the body to detect and eliminate abnormal or potentially cancerous cells before they multiply.That said, the study isn’t without limitations. It measured alcohol intake only once during the study period and had limited data from Asian populations. It also didn’t explore lifetime drinking patterns or compare the impacts of occasional binge drinking with regular consumption.While pancreatic cancer ranks twelfth in global cancer incidence, it is far deadlier than its ranking suggests—contributing to roughly 5 percent of all cancer-related deaths worldwide.