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Drinking Red Wine May Have

A Preventive Effect On Certain Cancers

Cancer Prevention Research: Colon Cancer, Prostate Cancer, Melanoma and Leukemia

Another health benefit of red wine is its connection with cancer prevention. It seems the anti-cancer properties of resveratrol work on several different levels: minimizing the DNA mutations that lead to cancer, inducing cell death in cancer cells, and blocking the formation of new blood vessels that "feed" tumors. Large studies are still required to prove the cancer prevention properties of resveratrol, but early results show promise.

Tumor Suppression
Studies show that resveratrol has the ability to inhibit the process that leads to the growth and spreading (metastasis) of cancer. Resveratrol helps to neutralize the oxidation of free radicals which keeps them from penetrating the cell membrane and destroying the protein and DNA inside healthy cells. Resveratrol also shows properties of tumor suppression by preventing the production of new blood vessels, which can help limit the growth of tumors by cutting off their supply of nutrients.

Laboratory studies have shown that resveratrol can cause certain cancer cells to self-destruct, or undergo apoptosis--an event where cells disintegrate and become particles that are then consumed by other cells. So far, this triggering of apoptosis by resveratrol has been shown to occur in breast cancer cells, skin cancer cells (melanoma), and leukemia cells.

Other research studies have shown that resveratrol can suppress the growth of prostate cancer cells. In addition, levels of the prostate specific antigen (PSA), a marker used to monitor prostate cancer activity in patients, were also suppressed in these experiments.

Wine and Colon Cancer
According to researchers from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, a glass of wine per week may help prevent colon cancer. The study led by Catherine R. Messina, Ph.D. found that colorectal polyps occurred in eighteen percent of beer or grain-based liquor drinkers, twelve percent of non-drinkers and only one percent of wine drinkers.

Too Much of a Good Thing
While evidence shows that small daily amounts of resveratrol have positive health benefits, some concern exists that large amounts may have adverse effects. Limiting the amount of the antioxidants to those in red wine, peanuts, blueberries and cranberries may offer the most health benefit. Positive evidence is based on moderate drinking of one to two glasses of red wine per day. More research is moving in the direction of using resveratrol as a chemopreventive (cancer preventing) agent.

Resources:
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ScienceDaily. (2000, October 16.) Grapes or grain? Wine drinking may reduce colon cancer risk; beer, hard liquor provide no benefit. Retrieved September 20, 2003, from

www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2000/10/001018221332.htm

ScienceDaily. (2003, September 9.) New cholesterol fighter found in red wine. Retrieved September 20, 2003, from
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Wallerath, T., Poleo, D., Li, H., Förstermann, U. (2003, February 5). Red wine increases the expression of human endothelial nitric oxide synthesis [electronic version]. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 41(3), 471-478. Retrieved September 20, 2003, from www.acc.org/media/releases/highlights/2003/feb03/wine.pdf.

Waterhouse, A.L. (1995, May 1.) Wine and heart disease [electronic version]. Chemistry & Industry, 338-341. Retrieved September 20, 2003, from wineserver.ucdavis.edu/cuttingedge/research/winehealth.htm.

Wu, J. M. & Hsieh, T. C. (2000). Possible role of resveratrol in prevention of prostate carcinogenesis [electronic version]. Cancer Detection and Prevention, 24(Suppl 1). Retrieved September 20, 2003, from