Fighting Cancer
- Erin Moran, who played Joanie Cunningham on the hit TV show Happy Days, died of cancer at 56.
- Alcohol has been shown to increase the risk of certain cancers.
- Getting a cancer diagnosis can sometimes lead to bouts of depression.
Related: The Different Stages of Cancer & What It Means for You
Read MoreCancer & Your Mental Health
In the years before her death, Moran reportedly dealt with depression, according to People magazine. In her home state of Indiana, it was reported that she also struggled with alcohol. Moran and her husband, Steve Fleischmann, lived at a motel, and later a trailer, in rural Indiana.
Cancer treatment is expensive, and it’s possible that if Moran was battling cancer, this could’ve exacerbated any existing mental health issues, like depression. And while we don’t know if her depression started before or after she got her diagnosis, it’s important to remember that getting a diagnosis like this is often hard to deal with.
Treating Depression After a Cancer Diagnosis
Alcohol and Cancer
While we don’t know the type of cancer Moran was potentially dealing with, there is research that points to a link between alcohol and some cancer, particularly breast cancer and colon cancer.
Alcohol Can Increase the Risk of Developing Breast Cancer
Dr. Elizabeth Comen, an oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, tells SurvivorNet that “One of the things that we know, and the American Society of Clinical Oncology has recently come out with a statement to this effect, is that actually, alcohol does increase the risk of breast cancer. It doesn’t dramatically increase the risk of breast cancer, but with every drink, there is a linear response.”
There can also be increased concerns for colon cancer patients who are heavy drinkers.
Alcohol Intake Has a Big Impact on Colon Cancer Surgery
Dr. Kyle Cologne, a colorectal surgeon at the University of Southern California, tells SurvivorNet, “When…doing surgery for colorectal cancer in someone who is a heavy drinker, this puts you at a much higher risk for things like bleeding and problems healing after surgery. So it’s important to be honest with your surgeon about if you drink, how much you drink.”
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