Regular alcohol intake may up skin cancer risk: study

Boston: People who consume alcohol regularly may be at an increased risk of developing non-melanoma skin cancer, a study warns.

Researchers from Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health in the US conducted a systematic literature search and meta- analysis to quantify the relationship between alcohol intake and non melanoma skin cancer (NMSC).

Several types of skin cancer fall within the broader category of NMSC, with the most common types being basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC).

A total of 13 case-control and cohort studies were included in the systematic review, with 95,241 NMSC cases.

Researchers found that for every 10 gramme increase in alcohol intake per day there was a positive correlation for BCC and cSCC.

Evidence indicated a nonlinear correlation for BCC, although this could result from sparse data at higher levels of alcohol intake, ‘HealthDay’ reported.

“Because alcohol drinking is a prevalent and modifiable behaviour, it could serve as an important public health target to reduce the global health burden of NMSC,” researchers said.

The study was published in the British Journal of Dermatology.