Using tanning beds is linked to a nearly threefold jump in the risk of melanoma, the deadliest type of skin cancer, according to a Dec. 12 peer-reviewed study published in the “Science Advances” journal.
“Melanoma is responsible for an estimated 11,000 deaths annually in the United States. The main cause is exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which generates mutations in melanocytes, driving their transformation to melanoma,” the study said. Melanocytes are skin cells that produce melanin, the natural pigment that gives skin its color.
In the study, researchers analyzed medical records of 32,315 patients seen by Northwestern University’s Dermatology service. From this, the researchers identified 2,932 patients with a history of tanning bed use and compared them with 2,925 people who did not use them….