More than 5% of melanomas are caused by tanning bed use.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer, a unit of the World Health Organization, concluded in 2009 that sun beds, like radiation and cigarette smoke, are carcinogenic to humans. Since the meta-analysis that led to this conclusion, another eight epidemiologic studies have been performed. These investigators conducted a larger meta-analysis to explore this relationship in greater detail. They included 27 case-control, cohort, and cross-sectional studies involving 11,428 patients, performed in the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Australia between 1981 and 2012.
They found a statistically significant 20% increase in melanoma risk among ever users of tanning beds and a 42% increase among heavy users. Tanning bed use before age 35 increased mel…
Reviewing Author
DisclosuresConsultant / Advisory board Astellas Pharmaceuticals
EquityVaxin
Grant / Research support NIH; NIH/NCI; Veteran’s Administration; Ferndale Laboratories; Kyowa Hakko Kirin Pharma, Inc.
Editorial boards Cancer Prevention Research; Photodermatology, Photoimmunology, & Photomedicine; UpToDate; eMedicine; Journal of Dermatological Sciences; JAMA Dermatology
Leadership positions in professional societies American Academy of Dermatology (Vice Chair, Committee on Science and Research); Photomedicine Society (Board of Directors)
DisclosuresConsultant / Advisory board Astellas Pharmaceuticals
EquityVaxin
Grant / Research support NIH; NIH/NCI; Veteran’s Administration; Ferndale Laboratories; Kyowa Hakko Kirin Pharma, Inc.
Editorial boards Cancer Prevention Research; Photodermatology, Photoimmunology, & Photomedicine; UpToDate; eMedicine; Journal of Dermatological Sciences; JAMA Dermatology
Leadership positions in professional societies American Academy of Dermatology (Vice Chair, Committee on Science and Research); Photomedicine Society (Board of Directors)