White wine may increase risk of skin cancer

ALCOHOL INTAKE, especially white wine, may increase risk of invasive melanoma, a serious type of skin cancer, new research has found.

Examining the link between alcohol consumption and melanoma risk, the researchers found that white wine carried the most significant association, and the increased risk was greater for parts of the body that receive less sun exposure. “It was surprising that white wine was the only drink independently associated with increased risk of melanoma,” said study author Eunyoung Cho, Associate Professor at Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, US. Approximately 3.6 percent of cancer cases worldwide have been attributed to alcohol, most typically cancers of the aerodigestive tract, liver, pancreas, colon, rectum, and breast.

Previous research has suggested that alcohol can cause carcinogenesis as the ethanol in alcohol metabolises into acetaldehyde, which damages DNA and prevents DNA repair.

“The reason for the association is unknown. However, research has shown that some wine has somewhat higher levels of pre-existing acetaldehyde than beer or spirits,” Cho said.

“While red and white wine may have similar amounts of pre-existing acetaldehyde, the antioxidants in red wine may offset the risks,” Cho noted.