Los efectos carcinogénicos del acetaldehído. Una visión actual

Acetaldehyde, associated with chronic consumption of alcoholic beverages and smoking, has recently been classified as a Group 1 carcinogen to humans. Microbes are responsible for the bulk of acetaldehyde production from ethanol both in saliva and gastric juice in Helicobacter pylori-infected and achlorhydria patients. Acetaldehyde is the most abundant carcinogen in tobacco smoke, and it readily dissolves in the saliva during smoking. Many foodstuffs and ‘non-alcoholic’ beverages are significant but unrecognised sources of local acetaldehyde exposure. The cumulative cancer risk associated with increasing acetaldehyde exposure suggests the need for worldwide screening of the acetaldehyde levels of alcoholic beverages, as well of the ethanol and acetaldehyde of food produced by fermentation. Risk groups with alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH)-and aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) gene polymorphisms, H. pylori infection or achlorhydria atrophic gastritis, or both, should be screened and educated in this health issue. L-cysteine formulations binding carcinogenic acetaldehyde locally in the stomach provide new means for intervention studies.