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Do Tanning Beds Cause Cancer?

Users of artificial tanning devices increase their risk for squamous cell and basal cell carcinomas.

The use of artificial tanning devices is reportedly increasing in the U.S. Laboratory study has indicated a potential increase in risk for nonmelanoma skin cancer with the use of these devices, but epidemiologic study of increased risk for malignant melanoma with this practice has produced conflicting results, most likely because it is difficult to assess previous sunlight exposure as a confounding variable. These authors conducted a population-based, case-control study in New Hampshire to determine whether use of tanning devices increases the risk for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and basal cell carcinoma (BCC).

Investigators interviewed 293 patients with cutaneous SCC, 603 patients with BCC, and 540 age- and sex-matched controls about tanning-device use, sun sensitivity, sun exposure, and history of sunburn. After adjusting for age, sex, number of sunburn episodes, and sunlight exposure, the researchers found that artificial tanning increased the risk for SCC (odds ratio, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.7-3.8) and BCC (OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.1-2.1). Women younger than 50 with sensitive phenotypes appear to be at particularly high risk.

Comment: Although this is a difficult type of study to control, the authors made considerable efforts to limit bias by blinding participants to the study goal and by soliciting information on sunlight exposure, sunburn, and other factors. Doubts concerning recall bias in this study may linger -- after a diagnosis of skin cancer, patient recall of tanning-bed use may be exaggerated, but tanning-device use by patients with cancer was not much greater than that by controls. Nevertheless, these results and findings in previous studies point to tanning devices as contributing to the incidence of nonmelanoma skin cancers. Dermatologists should continue to warn all patients, and particularly young women, of the potential dangers of these devices.

— James Ferguson, MD, FRCP

Published in Journal Watch Dermatology March 12, 2002

Citation(s):

Karagas MR et al. Use of tanning devices and risk of basal cell and squamous cell skin cancers. J Natl Cancer Inst 2002 Feb 6; 94:224-6.

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