Written by Honor Whiteman Published: 3 December 2016
The festive season is upon us, meaning many of us will be indulging in a drink or two at office parties or family gatherings. But a new study suggests it might be worth steering clear of white wine; it could raise the risk of melanoma. Researchers found white wine could be independently linked to greater risk of melanoma.
Eunyoung Cho, an associate professor of dermatology and epidemiology at Brown University’s Warren Alpert Medical School in Providence, RI, and colleagues recently published their findings in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. Melanoma is a form of skin cancer that begins in melanocytes, which are cells in the top layer of skin.
While melanoma is significantly less common than other skin cancers – such as basal cell carcinoma – it is much more deadly. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 10,000 people in the United States will die from melanoma in 2016. Now, Cho and team suggest alcohol – particularly white wine – should be added to the list. Daily glass of white wine could raise melanoma risk by 13 percent.