Sun still the main cause of skin cancer

A new World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) report has looked at whether diet, weight and physical activity affect the risk of developing skin cancer. The findings show that unlike many other cancers, your diet and exercise patterns do not appear to be strongly associated with your risk of skin cancer.

The report looked at a number of lifestyle factors including alcohol, obesity, and coffee but as there was a lack of strong evidence linking diet to skin cancer it means that the sun is still the number one cause of skin cancer. In total, this new report analysed 55 studies from around the world, comprising more than 13 million adults

Susannah Brown, Acting Head of Research Interpretation said: “We see this report as good news when it comes to diet, exercise and skin cancer. The evidence that overexposure to the sun causes skin cancer has been consistent for decades. However, many people still don’t protect themselves from the sun, putting themselves at increased risk of skin cancer. As the weather gets warmer, we want our report to remind people that there are simple but important steps they can take to prevent developing skin cancer.”

It is important for us all to be safe in the sun; whether at home or abroad. The NHS has a number of sun safety tips which include spending time in the shade between 11am and 3pm during March to October, using at least factor 30 sunscreen, and covering up with suitable clothing including a hat and sunglasses.

The report also showed strong evidence that drinking water contaminated with arsenic increases the risk of skin cancer and consuming high-dose beta-carotene supplements is unlikely to have a substantial effect on the risk of non-melanoma skin cancer.

The report is available in full for free online: http://bit.ly/WCRFskincancer