AKR1A1 and cancer: Several factors have been demonstrated to contribute towards the development of alcohol‐associated cancer.10, 36, 37, 38, 39 Evidence suggests that the effect of alcohol is modulated by polymorphisms in genes encoding enzymes for ethanol metabolism (eg alcohol dehydrogenases, aldehyde dehydrogenases and cytochrome P450 2E1), folate metabolism and DNA repair.