El estudio, publicado el miércoles, indicó que los polifenoles hallados en el vino ayudarían a proteger a los tejidos saludables de los efectos de la radiación mientras se combate a las células cancerosas.

La investigación fue llevada a cabo sobre 348 mujeres tratadas por cáncer mamario entre el 2003 y el 2007, en la unidad de radioterapia y cuidados paliativos de la Universidad Católica de Campobasso, en Italia.

El estudio demostró que el consumo diario moderado de vino estaba vinculado con una reducción del 75 por ciento en las lesiones de piel, comparado con aquellos pacientes que no tomaban vino.

"Nuestros datos deben tomarse con cuidado, dado que nuestro estudio fue observacional", expresó Alessio Morganti, director de la unidad de radioterapia.

"Ahora debería realizarse un ensayo formal al azar. Establecer el rol del vino y sus componentes no alcohólicos es realmente un tema crucial que abriría un nuevo camino para el uso preventivo de antioxidantes", indicó el autor.

La investigación completa se publicará en la edición en internet de International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics (www.redjournal.org).

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/news/fullstory_86359.html 

Alessio G. Morganti, M.D., Cinzia Digesù, M.D., Simona Panunzi, M.S.†, Andrea De Gaetano, M.D.†, Gabriella Macchia, M.D., Francesco Deodato, M.D., M. Grazia Cece, R.T.‡, Massimo Cirocco, R.T.§, Augusto Di Castelnuovo, M.S., Licia Iacoviello, Ph.D., Vincenzo Valentini, M.D.¶, Numa Cellini, M.D.¶, Giovanni de Gaetano, Ph.D.

Given the high cost and side effects of radioprotective agents such as amifostine, attention has been focused on potentially equally effective but less expensive and toxic natural substances.

We evaluated the potential radioprotective effects of wine in preventing skin toxicity in patients with breast cancer.

Before treatment, the medical history and habits of patients were assessed and the information recorded in their clinical folders.

Patients were divided into three groups based on the dose/fractionation scheme used: control group, 60.4 Gy (standard technique); Modulated Accelerated Radiotherapy in Adjuvant treatment of breast cancer (MARA)-1 protocol group, 44 Gy (concomitant boost to tumoral bed); and MARA-2 protocol group, 60 Gy (concomitant boost to tumoral bed).

The impact of the following variables on acute skin toxicity was evaluated by chart review: radiotherapy protocol, planning target volume (PTV), comorbidity (e.g., hypertension and diabetes), hemoglobin level before therapy, adjuvant hormone therapy, adjuvant chemotherapy, cigarette smoking, and drinking habits.

The study population consisted of 348 patients.

More severe skin toxicity was significantly associated with the radiotherapy protocol (p < 0.001) and median PTV (p = 0.005).

In addition, the incidence of acute toxicity of Grade 2 or greater was higher in patients without alcohol intake (38.4% vs. 22.3%, p = 0.021).

The daily amount of alcohol intake also influenced the incidence of skin toxicity, with an incidence of 38.4% in patients with no wine intake, 31.8% in patients drinking half a glass per day, 13.6% in patients drinking one glass per day, and 35.0% in patients drinking two glasses per day.

Multivariate analysis showed that wine intake, PTV, and radiotherapy protocol were all significantly correlated with acute toxicity.

Our results indicate that wine may have a radioprotective effect; however, prospective studies are needed to confirm this beneficial effect of wine and its components.

 Radiotherapy Unit, Department of Oncology, Catholic University, Campobasso, Italy

 Research Laboratories, “John Paul II” Center for High Technology Research and Education in Biomedical Sciences, Catholic University, Campobasso, Italy

† National Research Council, Institute of Systems Analysis and Computer Science, BioMatLab, Rome, Italy

¶ Department of Radiotherapy, Policlinico Universitario “Agostino Gemelli,” Catholic University, Rome, Italy

‡ Present address: Department of Radiology, General Hospital “SS. Annunziata,” Cento, Italy

§ Present address: Department of Nuclear Medicine, General Hospital, Grosseto, Italy

Reprint requests to: Gabriella Macchia, M.D., Radiotherapy Unit, Department of Oncology, Catholic University, Largo A. Gemelli 1, 86100 Campobasso, Italy. Tel: (+39) 0874-312-259; Fax: (+39) 0874-312-720

Conflict of interest: none.

PII: S0360-3016(09)00090-X

doi:10.1016/j.ijrobp.2008.10.089