Red wine may prevent radiation-induced skin toxicity in breast cancer patients, according to a study by Dr. Gabriella Macchia, of Catholic University, Campobasso, Italy.

It's already known that the polyphenols and the tannins in red wine are protective against radiation.

Dr. Macchia studied red wine consumption in 348 women treated with radiation therapy after breast cancer surgery and found that it was highly protective.

She reports in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology and Physics, 2009, that the incidence of radiation-induced skin toxicity was 38.4 percent in non-drinkers, 31.8 percent in patients drinking a half a glass of red wine daily, 13.6 percent in women who drank one glass daily--and 35 percent in women who drank two glasses of red wine each day.

Wine has the potential to enhance the therapeutic benefit in cancer patients without increasing their risk of serious adverse effects, Dr. Macchia says

She recommends that wine's potential protective effects should be tested in patients with other types of tumors who require radiation.

SOURCE: International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology and Physics, 2009.

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