Red Wine Reduces Lung Cancer Risks

Although some studies suggest drinking red wine may help protect against lung cancer, other studies claim excess amounts of wine may cause cancer. Further, those researchers against red wine consumption believe there is no solid evidence proving red wine helps fight cancer.
There is strong evidence that supports drinking large amounts of alcohol on a regular basis might actually increase the risk of cancers such as:

• Mouth
• Larynx
• Pharynx
• Esophagus
• Breast

In a study involving 132 people with lung cancer and 187 hospital patients without the disease, researchers attempted to discover if there was a link between red wine and the reduction of lung cancer.

Researchers found that each group drank similar amounts of wine each day (three and a half glasses). The results revealed that just over a third of the lung cancer patients drank red wine compared to over half of the other patients. Researchers also concluded that while beer, spirits and rose wine did not affect the development of cancer, there did appear to be a connection between white wine and increased lung cancer risks.

Thus, the beneficial effects of red wine may boil down to tannins (a cell-protecting antioxidant) and resveratrol (which has been shown to smother the development and growth of tumors).

Based on their findings, researchers felt that it was more important to investigate the beneficial components of wine rather than promoting the consumption of it.

BBC News October 27, 2004