Government figures from the Office of National Statistics, published last week, showed that an increasing number of women are drinking high amounts of alcohol, well over the recommended limit for a week.

This is of concern as previous evidence shows that drinking one small drink a day regularly can significantly increase the risk of breast cancer, the most common cancer in women in the UK.

Sara Hiom, director of health information at Cancer Research UK, said: "Many people just don't know that drinking alcohol can increase their cancer risk.

"In the last ten years, mouth cancer has become much more common and one reason for this could be because of higher levels of drinking - as this study reflects.

"Along with being a non-smoker and keeping a healthy bodyweight, cutting back on alcohol is one of the most important ways of lowering your cancer risk.

"Keeping alcohol intake to a maximum of one small drink a day for women and two small drinks per day for men can have a real impact."

Source: Cancer Research UK