Noelle K. LoConte

1 week ago | medscape.com | Noelle K. LoConte |Kristine Torres-Lockhart |Nathaniel Chin

Summary and Key TakeawaysDr LoConte and the panel discuss the limits of using cancer incidence as the primary endpoint in alcohol-related studies. Because cancer develops slowly, more immediate clinical markers — such as liver function changes, cognitive effects, falls, and even motor vehicle accidents — are often better indicators of harm. The panel also explores the challenges of measuring alcohol intake from a patient perspective, highlighting how misleading the concept of “a drink” can be.

1 week ago | medscape.com | Noelle K. LoConte |Kristine Torres-Lockhart |Nathaniel Chin

Summary and Key TakeawaysDr Nathaniel Chin reframes cognitive decline as a powerful entry point for patient-centered discussions about modifiable lifestyle factors, including alcohol. He explains how patients in their thirties to fifties are increasingly curious about preserving brain health, and how this opens the door to discussions about exercise, diet, and sleep — and eventually alcohol.

1 week ago | medscape.com | Noelle K. LoConte |Kristine Torres-Lockhart |Nathaniel Chin

Summary and Key TakeawaysDr LoConte spotlights emerging research that now ties alcohol to cancers beyond the well-known “big seven,” including prostate, pancreatic, and stomach cancers. Despite this growing evidence, many physicians still don’t ask patients about alcohol use. She urges clinicians — especially oncologists — to normalize these conversations in everyday care, provide nonstigmatizing support, and acknowledge how deeply embedded drinking is in social norms.