Drinking red wine while undergoing radiation treatment may reduce the incidence of skin toxicity in breast cancer patients, Italian researchers report in a study published in the August issue of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics (2009, Vol. 74:5, pp. 1501-1505).
Researchers conducted a study to determine if the natural antioxidants in red wine would provide a radioprotective effect in preventing acute skin toxicity in patients undergoing radiation therapy following a lumpectomy.
A research team headed by Dr. Alessio Morganti from Catholic University in Campobasso divided 348 breast cancer patients into three groups based on the dose/fractionation scheme used in radiation therapy.
Patients consuming red wine had a lower incidence of grade 2 or higher skin toxicity than those who did not consume alcohol. Patients who drank one glass of wine a day had a 13.6% incidence of skin toxicity versus a 38.4% incidence in patients who did not drink wine.
Copyright © 2009 AuntMinnie.com
