INFOGRAPHIC 19.9 Health Effects of Heavy Drinking or Recurrent Binge Drinking There are many ways alcohol can damage the body. For example, alcohol may irritate cells of the mouth and throat, and that could lead to DNA changes and, ultimately, cancer. Alcohol and its byproducts can also damage the liver, leading to inflammation and scarring. As liver cells try to repair the damage, mistakes in DNA replication may lead to cancer.
