Could Eating Oranges and Grapefruit Increase Melanoma Risk?
Despite being associated with lower risk of obesity, stroke, and certain cancers, consumption of citrus, particularly orange juice and grapefruit, may also be associated with an increased risk of developing melanoma, according to a recent study.
In order to evaluate the risk of cutaneous melanoma associated with the consumption of citrus, researchers conducted a cohort study of 63,810 women and 41,622 men, assessing the participants’ dietary information every 2-4 years over 24-26 years of follow-up.
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Overall, 1840 cases of melanomas were reported. The pooled multivariable hazard ratios for melanoma were 1.00 for citrus consumption < 2 per week, 1.10 for 2 to 4 times per week, 1.26 for 5 to 6 times per week, 1.27 for 1 to 1.5 times per day, and 1.36 for ≥ 1.6 times per day. Grapefruit showed the most significant association with melanoma risk, when compared with other citrus products.
Researchers speculated that the association may be due to high concentrations of furocoumarins—photoactive substances produced by plants—found within citrus products, which may make the skin more sensitive to UV radiation.
“Citrus consumption was associated with an increased risk of malignant melanoma in two cohorts of women and men. Nevertheless, further investigation is needed to confirm our findings and explore related health implications,” they concluded.
—Michael Potts
Reference:
1. Wu S, Han J, Feskanich D, et al. Citrus consumption and risk of cutaneous malignant melanoma. Journal of Clinical Oncology. June 2015 [epub ahead of print]. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2014.57.4111