Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsDrug InteractionsAdditional RisksEffects on SurvivalA Word From VerywellFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Drug Interactions
Additional Risks
Effects on Survival
A Word From Verywell
Frequently Asked Questions
The safety of alcohol duringchemotherapycan vary based on the treatment regimen. Different factors can influence the risk, including drug interactions, the worsening of side effects, and the effects of alcohol itself.
Some specific chemotherapy medications interact with alcohol causing or worsening side effects such as dizziness, drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, and more.
This article reviews which chemotherapy and other medications used during cancer treatment interact with alcohol, additional risks and concerns, and the effects on cancer growth and survival.
Myeong Jun Baeg / EyeEm / Getty Images
Alcohol can interact with certain chemotherapy drugs as well as drugs that support cancer treatment. Some of these interactions are minor, while others may require you to skip alcohol until treatment is completed.
Chemotherapy Drugs
Other Medications
Perhaps of greater concern are the effects that alcohol has on the medications used to support cancer treatment. These include:
RecapAlcohol can cause severe side effects when combined with chemotherapy drugs like Matulane (procarbazine) and Gleostine (lomustine). It can also interact with painkillers, anti-anxiety drugs, and anti-nausea medications used to support cancer treatment.
Recap
Alcohol can cause severe side effects when combined with chemotherapy drugs like Matulane (procarbazine) and Gleostine (lomustine). It can also interact with painkillers, anti-anxiety drugs, and anti-nausea medications used to support cancer treatment.
Additional Risks and Concerns
Some of the concerns include:
Effects on Cancer Growth and Survival
It has long been theorized that alcohol use leads to worse outcomes in cancer patients. To date, the research addressing this is minimal.
Some studies show that those who regularly drink moderate amounts of alcohol often have decreased immune systems. Most cancer treatments work best when the immune system works properly. When alcohol harms the immune system this can lead to poor outcomes.
Alcohol can increase estrogen levels which increases the risk of estrogen-receptor-positivebreast cancer.A 2014 study found that alcohol use had no significant effect on survival times or the rate of breast cancer progression.However, more recent studies show a higher risk of recurrence for women taking hormone therapy for estrogen-receptor breast cancer.
A 2017 study investigating the impact of alcohol on people withhead and neck cancersfound that alcohol did, in fact, decrease survival times in people who had undergone tongue cancer surgery. However, the same was not seen with other forms of head and neck cancer or for people with tongue cancer who had undergone radiation therapy.
Summary
Alcohol can also lead to side effects when combined with certain chemotherapy drugs and drugs used to support treatment (such as painkillers and anti-nausea medications).
There is not enough research to state that alcohol affects survival times for all cancers. However, there are some, such as head and neck cancer, where alcohol can decrease survival times. It can also be a risk factor for recurrence in cancers such as estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer.
We know it can be frustrating to have more limitations placed on you while taking chemotherapy. If you are wondering if you should limit alcohol, talk with your healthcare team. They can tell you if it is safe to drink alcohol before or immediately following you specific chemotherapy.
Frequently Asked QuestionsIn general, it’s best to avoid wine and other alcoholic beverages while taking chemotherapy. Some chemotherapy medications interact with alcohol, worsening side effects. Alcohol can also cause liver inflammation which can decrease the effectiveness of chemo.It’s best to speak with your healthcare team to determine if your specific chemo interacts with alcohol.This varies depending on the type of chemotherapy treatment. Other factors include the type of cancer you have, your immune system, side effects you are still experiencing, and other medications you take.Your healthcare team is the best source as they can help determine if alcohol interacts with any medication in your treatment plan.How much you can drink after chemo depends on your treatment plan. Some chemo drugs interact with any amount of alcohol, which can increase your risk of side effects.If you are taking other medicines to manage side effects, including antidepressants, antianxiety, pain, or sleep medications, it’s best to avoid alcohol. Your healthcare team can help you determine if alcohol interacts with any medicines in your treatment plan.In general, it’s best to avoid alcohol while undergoing any cancer treatment, including radiation. This is because it can decrease your immune system, cause liver inflammation, and worsen the side effects of treatment.Alcohol can also cause more irritation to areas undergoing radiation. This includes the throat, esophagus, stomach, bladder, and more.
In general, it’s best to avoid wine and other alcoholic beverages while taking chemotherapy. Some chemotherapy medications interact with alcohol, worsening side effects. Alcohol can also cause liver inflammation which can decrease the effectiveness of chemo.It’s best to speak with your healthcare team to determine if your specific chemo interacts with alcohol.
In general, it’s best to avoid wine and other alcoholic beverages while taking chemotherapy. Some chemotherapy medications interact with alcohol, worsening side effects. Alcohol can also cause liver inflammation which can decrease the effectiveness of chemo.
It’s best to speak with your healthcare team to determine if your specific chemo interacts with alcohol.
This varies depending on the type of chemotherapy treatment. Other factors include the type of cancer you have, your immune system, side effects you are still experiencing, and other medications you take.Your healthcare team is the best source as they can help determine if alcohol interacts with any medication in your treatment plan.
This varies depending on the type of chemotherapy treatment. Other factors include the type of cancer you have, your immune system, side effects you are still experiencing, and other medications you take.
Your healthcare team is the best source as they can help determine if alcohol interacts with any medication in your treatment plan.
How much you can drink after chemo depends on your treatment plan. Some chemo drugs interact with any amount of alcohol, which can increase your risk of side effects.If you are taking other medicines to manage side effects, including antidepressants, antianxiety, pain, or sleep medications, it’s best to avoid alcohol. Your healthcare team can help you determine if alcohol interacts with any medicines in your treatment plan.
How much you can drink after chemo depends on your treatment plan. Some chemo drugs interact with any amount of alcohol, which can increase your risk of side effects.
If you are taking other medicines to manage side effects, including antidepressants, antianxiety, pain, or sleep medications, it’s best to avoid alcohol. Your healthcare team can help you determine if alcohol interacts with any medicines in your treatment plan.
In general, it’s best to avoid alcohol while undergoing any cancer treatment, including radiation. This is because it can decrease your immune system, cause liver inflammation, and worsen the side effects of treatment.Alcohol can also cause more irritation to areas undergoing radiation. This includes the throat, esophagus, stomach, bladder, and more.
In general, it’s best to avoid alcohol while undergoing any cancer treatment, including radiation. This is because it can decrease your immune system, cause liver inflammation, and worsen the side effects of treatment.
Alcohol can also cause more irritation to areas undergoing radiation. This includes the throat, esophagus, stomach, bladder, and more.
12 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Sawabe M, Ilo H, Oze I, et al.Heterogeneous impact of alcohol consumption according to treatment method on survival in head and neck cancer: a prospective study.Cancer Science.2017;108(1):91-100. doi:10.1111/cas.13115
American Cancer Society.Alcohol use and cancer.
National Library of Medicine National Center for Biotechnology Information (NIH).Procarbazine.
Cancer Research UK.Lomustine (CCNU).
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Harmful interactions: Mixing alcohol with medicines.
Meadows G, Zhang H.Effects of alcohol on tumor growth, metastasis, immune response, and host survival.Alcohol Res. 2015;37(2):311-322. PMID: 26695753
Ali AMG, Schmidt MK, Bolla MK, et al.Alcohol consumption and survival after a breast cancer diagnosis: A literature-based meta-analysis and collaborative analysis of data for 29,239 cases.Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2014;23(6):934-945. doi:10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-13-0901
Leuteritz K, Zebralla V, Wirtz H. et al.Tobacco consumption and treatment of tobacco dependence.Forum. 2022;37(2):123-128. doi:10.1007/s12312-022-01055-x
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