Gill Saab
Yaar Malang
Washington, Oct 25 (ANI): The use of tanning beds four times a year can increase the risk for skin cancer by 15 percent, scientists have found.
Researchers found regular use of tanning salons created a higher chance of contracting three common skin cancers - basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma.
Lead researcher Mingfeng Zhang, M.D., research fellow in the department of dermatology at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston and colleagues followed 73,494 nurses who participated in the Nurses' Health Study II from 1989 to 2009.
They tracked tanning bed use during high school and college and when women were aged between 25 and 35 years old.
They also tracked the overall average usage during both periods in relation to basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma.
Results showed that tanning bed use increased skin cancer risk with a dose-response effect. More tanning bed exposure led to higher risks. Compared with nonusers, the risk for basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma increased by 15 percent for every four visits made to a tanning booth per year; the risk for melanoma increased by 11 percent.
"The use during high school/college had a stronger effect on the increased risk for basal cell carcinoma compared with use during ages 25 to 35," Zhang said.
"These results have a public health impact on skin cancer prevention for all three types of skin cancer," she said. "[They] can be used to warn the public against future use of tanning beds and to promote restrictions on the indoor tanning industry by policymakers."
The study was recently presented at the 10th AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research. (ANI)
Researchers found regular use of tanning salons created a higher chance of contracting three common skin cancers - basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma.
Lead researcher Mingfeng Zhang, M.D., research fellow in the department of dermatology at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston and colleagues followed 73,494 nurses who participated in the Nurses' Health Study II from 1989 to 2009.
They tracked tanning bed use during high school and college and when women were aged between 25 and 35 years old.
They also tracked the overall average usage during both periods in relation to basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma.
Results showed that tanning bed use increased skin cancer risk with a dose-response effect. More tanning bed exposure led to higher risks. Compared with nonusers, the risk for basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma increased by 15 percent for every four visits made to a tanning booth per year; the risk for melanoma increased by 11 percent.
"The use during high school/college had a stronger effect on the increased risk for basal cell carcinoma compared with use during ages 25 to 35," Zhang said.
"These results have a public health impact on skin cancer prevention for all three types of skin cancer," she said. "[They] can be used to warn the public against future use of tanning beds and to promote restrictions on the indoor tanning industry by policymakers."
The study was recently presented at the 10th AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research. (ANI)
