Many of you may have read the attention grabbing headlines recently claiming that white wine (and alcohol intake in general) is associated with an increased risk of invasive melanoma. These claims were spawned from a recent article published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers, and Prevention.(https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27909090)

Alcohol is a known carcinogen, with established associations with cancers of the esophagus, stomach, colon, rectum, liver, pancreas, and others. In regards to alcohol’s role in melanoma development, there have been a handful of small case-control studies which have suggested an association between regular alcohol intake and melanoma incidence, but many of these studies did not control for Ultraviolet Radiation (UV) exposure.

This most recent study utilized survey data over a period of about 20 years, which included questions about lifestyle, demographics, and health problems. The study population was compiled from 3 separate groups, included approximately 210,000 participants, and consisted solely of female nurses and men in health professions.

The data presented in this article does indicate a slightly higher rate of melanoma for patients with high alcohol intake but the effect is very small. In fact, among men, melanomas were not any higher in people who consumed alcohol vs. those who abstained. However, when the authors separated the melanomas by body site, they were able to show a significant increase (e.g. alcohol consumers had significantly higher incidences of melanoma on the trunk vs. those who abstained). The study also notes that white wine drinkers had a higher incidence of melanoma, it remains unclear whether this is due to a true biologic effect or an incidental finding, and further work will be needed to determine whether this result can be replicated in future studies.

In summary, alcohol is a known carcinogen for many internal organs, especially the digestive tract, and this fact alone argues for moderation. The data supporting a link between melanoma and alcohol intake remains less concrete, as the effect appears to be smaller than it is on those other organ systems, making it more difficult to prove a definitive association. However, this recent study suggests that regular alcohol consumption may lead to a slightly increased risk of melanoma, particularly on the trunk of the body. I would recommend to all of you to check your skin regularly for new or changing moles, and to report any suspicious areas to your physician.

-Sean Marzolf, MD