Drinking Alcohol in the Sun Ups Skin Cancer Risk

According to a new study, regular drinking could increase by up to half the risk of developing melanoma. The researchers claim that alcohol causes biological changes to make skin more sensitive to light and may aggravate the impact of exposure to ultraviolet light.

How alcohol consumption elevates the risk of skin cancer is not fully understood, but the researchers believe that the way that ethanol is converted into a chemical compound called acetaldehyde soon after we drink could play role.

It was found that those who had less than one drink a day had a 10 percent increased risk of melanoma compared with non-drinkers or those who only drink occasionally. The risk of skin cancer in moderate drinkers (who consumed two drinks a day) was 18 percent. Heavy drinkers – consuming at least four drinks a day – were at 55 percent risk of skin cancer.

The study was undertaken to quantify the extent to which the melanoma risk is increased with alcohol intake. The findings are published in the British Journal of Dermatology.

(Source: Daily Mail)

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