Wine intake and cancer risk
The available evidence showed a heterogeneous association between wine consumption and cancer risk across different cancer sites, with most associations not being statistically significant and methodological limitations preventing definitive conclusions.
Cancer is a major global health issue, with nearly 20 million new cases and 9.7 million deaths reported in 2022. Consumption of alcoholic beverages is a recognized risk factor for various cancers, classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer). In this umbrella review, the focus is on wine, which contains compounds that may have anti-carcinogenic properties, and the Mediterranean diet – associated with reduced cancer risk -which often includes moderate wine consumption.
While previous research has examined the relationship between alcohol consumption and cancer risk, findings regarding wine specifically have been inconsistent. The aim of this comprehensive umbrella review was to clarify the association between wine consumption and cancer risk across different types of cancer.
The authors emphasize the complexity and inconsistency in the relationship between wine consumption and cancer risk. This umbrella review synthesized the results of 27 meta-analyses, revealing that the vast majority of cancer outcomes were characterized by a lack of statistical significance (p values > 0.05). They highlight that the majority of studies consistently showed no or weak associations, particularly for cancers like colorectal, gastric, and lung cancers. However, strong associations were found for oral and pharyngeal cancers, as well as oesophageal cancer, with high(*) wine consumption linked to increased risks. The overall findings do not support a consistent or “clear divergence” between red and white wine consumption.
They further note that the evidence is often weak due to methodological limitations, including substantial heterogeneity and overlapping studies across different cancer sites. The potential confounding effects of socioeconomic status and lifestyle factors, which may mask the true risks associated with wine consumption, are pointed out. Overall, the findings of this study suggest that while specific compounds in wine may have health benefits, the presence of ethanol and acetaldehyde—both carcinogenic—complicates the assessment of wine’s role in cancer risk. Instead of indicating a clear harmful or protective role, the results reveal significant uncertainty and variability across different tumour sites. The authors stress that most associations are supported by weak or inconclusive evidence, primarily due to methodological shortcomings and the lack of statistical significance in many studies.
Consequently, current evidence does not justify definitive conclusions regarding the specific role of wine in risk of cancer development. The available evidence therefore supports interpreting epidemiological findings according to the specific cancer site rather than generalising them to cancer as a whole. The urgent need for more rigorous, consistent, and standardized epidemiological research to clarify these relationships is emphasized. Future research should employ standardized definitions of wine consumption, distinguishes between different types of wine, and characterizes drinking patterns in greater detail. This approach is essential to better understand the role of wine in cancer risk and to address the substantial heterogeneity observed in the existing literature.
(*) high wine consumption is not defined
