A preliminary study suggests that a diet rich in citrus fruits, particularly grapefruit, may put a person at risk of malignant melanoma.
A team of researchers writing in the Journal of Clinical Oncology used data from two long-term studies of women and men, with results revealing that there is a probability that citrus consumption may trigger the progression of malignant melanoma. However, the study did not determine if citrus fruits could actually cause skin cancers. Further studies may be needed to find out if there is a direct connection, the authors concluded.
The study, which spanned for two decades and participated by over 100,000 health experts, found that individuals who consume citrus fruit 1.6 or more times a day are at risk of melanoma by 36 percent more than those who eat less or do not consume citrus at all, Washington Post reports.
The results based on a single "observational" study, however, cannot claim that the entire U.S. population is at risk of melanoma when they eat a healthy serving of citrus, Dr. Abrar A. Quereshi, who works at Brown University, in Rhode Island, and at colleagues at Harvard Medical School and School of Public Health in Boston, claimed.
Qureshi was one of the experts who collaborated with other healthcare professionals at the conduct of the research.
"Cutaneous malignant melanoma is a potentially life-threatening form of skin cancer," he said. However, Quereshi continues, treating melanoma has now become more advanced and this condition may be prevented by proper sun protection and frequent skin cancer screening.
Shaowei Wu, the study's leady author and a post-doctorate research fellow at the Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University, cautioned individuals who consume a lot of citrus to avoid spending more time under the sun to avoid any risk of developing melanoma.
While the study's findings seem intriguing, the claims need further validation before The American Society of Clinical Oncology makes any dietary recommendations with regards to citrus consumption.
