Melanoma, one of the deadliest types of skin cancer, affected 15,513 new cases in 2018, according to public health France. It is responsible for a large number of deaths even though it accounts for only 10% of skin cancers.
So it’s all good to avoid it, and researchers from American Brown University have identified a food that, if consumed in smaller quantities, can reduce the risk of skin cancer: fish.
Skin cancer: Eating a lot of fish can be dangerous
For this study published on June 9, 2022 in the journal Cancer causes and controlThe researchers analyzed data from at least 491,367 people between the ages of 50 and 71. They took many things into account, including how often these people ate fish and the amount and type of fish (fried, non-fried, tuna). Total fish consumption, tuna consumption, and consumption of non-fried fish have been linked to an increased risk of malignant skin cancer as well as the growth of abnormal cells in the outer layer of the skin.
22% higher risk of skin cancer
Published results showed that this risk was 22% higher in some people. Any one? People who ate the most fish, 42.8 grams, per week (about three servings).
However, fish per se is definitely not the cause, explains Eunyoung Cho, a professor at Brown University and lead author of the study: “[C’est] Definitely a contaminant present in the fish.”
Researchers do not want to ‘discourage people from eating fish’
However, several studies have already shown the benefits of fish, particularly in preventing cardiovascular disease. Its high omega-3 content is also essential for the development and functioning of the retina, brain and nervous system, he explained.National Agency for Food Safety (ANSES).
So, what conclusions can we draw from this study? Eunyoung Cho says she doesn’t want to Discourage people from eating fish just for the results [de cette étude]”. She encourages us not to take the incomplete results of this study at face value. The most important thing to prevent skin cancer is to limit your exposure to the sun.
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