Newer Tanning Beds Still Linked with Melanoma Risk

Indoor tanning has long been associated with an increased risk of melanoma, and new research suggests that using newer tanning beds is just as risky.

The study, published online on March 12, 2014, in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, used observational studies of melanoma patients who had used tanning beds. Studies were obtained from Scopus, MEDLINE, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature to update previous evidence that links indoor tanning with melanoma. The researchers assessed whether newer tanning beds or the frequency of use affected the risk for melanoma.

In total, 31 studies were included in the analysis, providing data on 14,956 melanoma cases and 233,106 controls. Compared with individuals who had never used indoor tanning beds, the odds ratio for melanoma among individuals who had used tanning beds was 1.16. Similar risk was found in more recent studies conducted from 2000 to the present, suggesting that newer tanning beds are not any safer than older models. The strongest associations between tanning and melanoma risk were found among individuals who had used tanning beds more than 10 times, resulting in an odds ratio of 1.34.