Alcohol can have effects on most parts of the body. It can affect your immune system, meaning that you are more likely to develop viral or bacterial infections. Alcohol has many effects on your heart – regular drinking can contribute to developing high blood pressure and a variety of heart diseases. Long-term use of alcohol has also been linked to developing oral, lung, pancreas, colon, breast and many other cancers. The liver is one of the most significantly affected parts of the body. Long-term alcohol use can cause alcoholic liver disease, alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis as well as liver cancer.