Greater alcohol intake ‘linked to increased risk of melanoma’

People who drink more alcohol are at a greater risk of developing melanoma, a dangerous form of skin cancer.

The Brown University research has indicated that alcohol intake can be associated with higher rates of invasive melanoma in male and female patients, with white wine carrying the most significant association.

A total of 210,252 study participants were followed for a mean of 18.3 years, with food frequency questionnaires used to determine alcohol consumption levels. Overall alcohol intake was associated with a 14 percent higher risk of melanoma per drink per day.

Each daily drink of white wine was linked to a 13 percent higher melanoma risk, with other forms of alcohol – including beer, red wine and liquor – shown not to have a significant impact.

However, it was also noted that modest alcohol intake has been connected with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, showing these factors need to be taken in the right context.

Eunyoung Cho, an associate professor of dermatology and epidemiology at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, said: "For drinkers, risks and benefits of alcohol consumption have to be considered individually, including the risk related to skin cancer."

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