Quintessential summer drink shockingly linked to aggressive skin cancer
Summer's here, which means millions will be enjoying a glass of wine on a warm evening.
But scientists warn that the type of wine you drink could be raising your risk of skin cancer.
A new study found that drinking white wine was associated with a 22 percent higher risk of melanomas and other forms of skin cancers compared to drinking red wine.
One of the theories is that white wine is often consumed in the sun, which itself is a risk factor for skin cancer.
Red wine also contains chemicals that have anti-inflammatory properties which some studies suggest could have a protective effect on cells.
Eunyoung Cho, co-lead author of the study and associate professor of epidemiology and of dermatology at Brown University, said: 'We did observe a distinction when it came to skin cancer risk.
'Specifically, the consumption of white wine, but not red wine, was associated with an increased risk of skin cancer.'
The American Cancer Society notes all alcohol consumption can lead to cancer and recommends limiting to one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men.
The group of researchers analyzed 42 studies with nearly 96,000 participants to compare the cancer risk caused by both red and white wine.
Among the participants, the scientists identified those who drank the most and least white and red wine, respectively, and how much they consumed.
Since the analysis pooled data from multiple research papers from across the world, each with its own definitions of consumption levels, it remains unclear how many glasses of wine each participant was drinking.
While 'high' consumption usually means around one glass per day, this can vary from country to country.
However, the data that was collected by the Brown University researchers was then measured using multiple statistical models to find a link between drinking wine and the probability of developing cancer.
Results showed that women who drank white wine were at a greater risk of developing any kind cancer in their body as compared to men who drank white wine.
The researchers did not find any link between red wine and skin cancer.
It also remains unclear how many glasses of white wine can raise the risk of skin cancer.
DailyMail.com has reached to Dr Cho for more information.
While Dr Cho and her team did not identify a clear reason on how white wine can increase the risk of cancer, they theorized that it was possible that women do not take protective measures against skin cancer when under the influence of alcohol.
Skin cancer is usually caused due to a toxic growth of skin cells and can quickly spread across the skin.
Normally, as skin cells grow old and die, new cells form to replace them. When this process stops to work as it should due to exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun, cells grow more quickly and become toxic.
The most common form of skin cancer is basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma - both of which can often be cured.
Basal cell carcinoma is defined as the cancer that forms in your basal cells in the lower part of the outside layer of the skin while squamous cell carcinoma forms in the squamous cells in the outside layer of the skin.
The most dangerous form of skin cancer is melanoma. It is more likely to spread, making it harder to cure.
This type of skin cancer forms in cells called melanocytes. Melanocytes produce melanin, a brown pigment that gives your skin its color and protects against some of the sun's damaging UV rays.
However, without proper protection such as using sunscreen, UV rays can damage melanocytes and pave the way for the development of melanoma.
Previous studies have shown a statistically significant association between alcohol consumption and an increased risk of melanoma.
According to Harvard Health, one study found that the risk of basal cell carcinoma increased by seven percent and squamous cell carcinoma increased by 11 percent for every 10-gram increase in intake of alcohol in distilled spirit form (or one standard beer or small glass of wine) each day.
Another study also found a 20 percent increase in melanoma in drinkers (compared to those who don't drink alcohol or only drink occasionally)
Additionally, it also found that those who drink 50-grams of alcohol (or five beers) per day had a 55 percent increase in risk for melanoma.
Numerous researchers believe that drinking alcohol while basking in the sunlight can increase a person's risk of developing cancer.
As you drink, the body begins to process and metabolize alcohol which leads to the formation of Acetaldehyde.
Acetaldehyde is a known carcinogen - cancer causing substance - that is known to damage cell DNA and can increase a person's chances of having cancer.
Coupled with the sun's UV rays that continue to damage the skin, the likelihood to develop the deadly illness increase.
The American Cancer Society recommends limiting alcohol consumption to one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men.
But experts say that it is important to consider your underlying risk for developing skin cancer based on sun exposure and ethnicity and then alter your lifestyle.
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