- Eating more fish may be linked to higher risk of skin cancer, according to new research.
- Fish such as tuna contain toxic mercury, arsenic, and other chemicals linked to cancer.
Eating fish frequently may be linked to higher risk of skin cancer, possibly due to contaminants in common types of fish like tuna, according to a study published June 9 in the journal $4.
Researchers from Brown University and the National Cancer Institute looked at data from 491, 367 older Americans, aged 50-71, over 15 years of follow-up to see how many of them developed melanoma, an aggressive form of skin cancer. The researchers compared melanoma rates with participants' dietary habits to see if there was a link between cancer risk and eating fish, which $4 has suggested.
They found that people who ate about two servings of fish per week, on average, had a 22% higher risk of developing melanoma, and a 28% higher risk of developing abnormal skin cells that can be a precursor to cancer, than people who ate less than half a serving.
For tuna specifically, people who ate about 3/4 of a serving per week had 20% higher risk of melanoma, compared to people who ate almost none.
While the findings suggest a link between eating more fish and skin cancer risk, researchers don't recommend changing your seafood habits just yet. More research is needed to clarify the link and potential risk factors, and $4
Fish can be part of a healthy diet , but contaminants are a concern
It's not likely that fish itself is linked to cancer risk, but rather the contaminants in the fish, including arsenic and mercury, according to Eunyoung Cho, co-author of the study and associate professor of dermatology and epidemiology at Brown University. $4 has found high levels of mercury in the human body are associated with higher risk of skin cancer, and $4.
"Mercury consumption in the U.S. is mostly from fish," Cho said in a press release. "So if mercury is related to skin cancer, then it stands to reason that fish intake may be related, too."
However, other $4 has found eating more fish has $4, or may even be protective. It's also linked to and $4.
There's plenty of other good reasons to include fish in your diet, too. $4, including protein, omega-3 fatty acids and B vitamins.
It's also plays a major role in the $4 and $4, both considered among the healthiest ways to eat.
$4 recommend eating fish in moderation — about eight ounces, or a serving and a half, per week, and sticking to types of fish lower in mercury, including small, oily fish like sardines and anchovies.