Researchers have detected a link between alcohol consumption, cancer and aging that starts at the cellular level with telomere shortening.

Results of this cross-sectional study were presented at the American Association for Cancer Research 101st Annual Meeting 2010, held here, April 17-21 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.

Telomeres are found at the region of DNA sequences at the end of a chromosome, and are important for the genetic stability of cells. As people age, telomere length shortens progressively.

Researchers speculate that excessive use of alcohol is linked with stress and inflammation and these two factors accelerate telomere shortening and this in turn is thought to increase cancer risk.

“All the cells in our body have a biological clock in telomeres,” noted Baccarelli, who is head of the Center of Molecular and Genetic Epidemiology, Ca’ Granda Hospital Foundation, University of Milan, Italy.

“Heavy drinking leads to premature aging and in particular, it has been associated with cancer at multiple sites” said lead researcher Andrea Baccarelli.