LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Researchers from the Cancer Prevention Fellowship Program at the U.S. National Cancer Institute are adamant that alcohol is an overlooked cancer-causing agent, which literally hides in plain sight.

Even moderate drinkers were at risk. According to the study, 30 percent of all alcohol-related cancer deaths are attributed to imbibing less than two drinks per day. A higher use of alcohol, not surprisingly further increases the risks. According to the CDC, 65 percent of U.S. adults are either regular or occasional drinkers.

A drink is typically deemed as one 12-ounce bottle of beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine, and 1.5 ounces of liquor. The focus is more on the alcohol percentages by volume.

There is no safe level of alcohol use, even with popular claims associating moderate drinking with heart health benefits, Dr. David Nelson, director of the Cancer Prevention Fellowship Program says.

"Alcohol causes 10 times as many deaths as it prevents," Nelson says. He urges people at risk for cancer to reduce or eliminate alcohol consumption.

"From a cancer prevention perspective, the less you drink, the lower your risk of an alcohol-related cancer and, obviously, if one doesn't drink at all then that's the lowest risk."

Although unclear on the exact correlation and causation of alcohol and cancer, researchers assess potential chemical irritants disrupt DNA replication and repair. They add that alcohol may also affect hormonal levels of estrogen, therefore increasing the risk for breast cancer development.

Data for the study was compiled from sources including the 2009 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, the 2009-2010 National Alcohol Survey, and the 2009 Alcohol Epidemiologic Data System.