Tanning beds now considered carcinogenic by international cancer group

Tanning beds now considered carcinogenic by international cancer group

In a policy report released Tuesday, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) announced that UV tanning beds have now been placed in the highest risk category -- group 1 -- and is considered "carcinogenic to humans."

Previously, tanning beds had been in group 2A, "probably carcinogenic to humans," according to the report in The Lancet Oncology for August. In addition to tanning beds, UVA, UVB, and UVC radiation were all moved from group 2A to group 1.

"The use of UV-emitting tanning devices is widespread in many developed countries, especially among young women," note Dr. Fatiha El Ghissassi in Lyons and colleagues from the IARC monograph working group.

The current change to the IARC's classification of tanning beds was prompted by a recent meta-analysis indicating that the odds of melanoma is increased by 75% when a person has been exposed to tanning beds before 30 years of age. Another factor in the change was the results of several case-control studies showing a link between tanning devices and ocular melanoma.

In addition to UV radiation, solar and all types of ionizing radiation (alpha- and beta-particle emitters, X-rays and gamma-rays, and neutron radiation) are now classified as group 1.

The report notes that there is "sufficient evidence" of increased melanoma risk in welders, but states that at this point it is unclear if this is due to UV radiation or to exposure to other harmful agents. Thus, a review of the carcinogenic risks of welding is warranted, the authors conclude.