New research shows a troubling link between alcohol consumption and cancer. A report recently published by the Lancet Oncology journal said there were more than 700,000 new cancer cases in the U.S. caused by alcohol consumption in 2020. Most of these cases were among people who had at least two drinks a day, but 100,000 cases involved patients who averaged less than that. 2020 saw Americans drinking more, and one doctor explained, "Alcohol is an irritant. It irritates the lining of our mouth, of our throat, of our stomach. As our body tries to heal, sometimes it heals in abnormal ways that can lead to the very beginnings of cancer."