Oily Fish, Wine May Reduce Skin Tumors

QUEENSLAND, Australia—Researchers at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research and L'Oréal Recherche, Paris, found moderate intake of oily fish and wine may decrease the acquisition of actinic keratoses (AKs), premalignant actinic tumors of the skin, and in turn, complement sun protection measures in the control of actinic skin tumors (Am J Clin Nutr. 2009;89(4):1246-55).

In a community-based study of 4.5 years, skin cancer and food intake of 1,119 adults was assessed in 1992, 1994 and 1996. Dermatologists counted prevalent AKs during full-body skin examinations in 1992 and 1996. The relative ratio (RR) of AK counts in 1996 relative to 1992 was compared across increasing intakes of 26 food groups and for three dietary patterns. All analyses were adjusted for confounding factors, including skin color and sun exposure indexes.

AK acquisition decreased by 28 percent among the highest consumers of oily fish (an average of one serving every five days) compared with those with minimal intake. Similarly, the rate of acquisition of AKs was reduced by 27 percent in those with the highest consumption of wine (average of half a glass a day in this study population). There was no consistent association of dietary pattern with AK acquisition.