A new study conducted by an international team, led by the George Institute for International Health in Australia, revealed a new harmful effect of alcohol and cigarettes.

The researchers said that alcohol and cigarettes can cause bowel cancer.

The study researchers discovered that smokers who take more than seven drinks on a weekly basis are 60 per cent more prone to risk of having bowel cancer, compared with non-drinkers.

They also said that obesity and diabetes were also related with a 20 per cent greater risk of getting bowel cancer.

Bowel cancer, which kills more than half a million people worldwide, is a malignant growth that develops most commonly inside the large bowel.

It is the most commonly occurring internal cancer and the second most common reason of cancer linked death, after lung cancer.

Study’s lead author Rachel Huxley stated, “The strong, and largely, unknown association between high intakes of alcoholic beverages with risk of colorectal cancer.”

“Most people probably know that being overweight and having poor dietary habits are risk factors for the disease, but most are probably unaware that other lifestyle risk factors such as alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking and diabetes are also important culprits,” Huxley added.

To come up with a solution, the researchers analyzed 100 published researches, which had reported on the relationship between major and modifiable risk factors for colorectal cancer that comprises alcohol, smoking, diabetes, physical activity and a variety of dietary components.

Moreover, they were also amazed to discover that there was little evidence to point out that high intake of fruits and vegetables are protecting against colorectal cancer.