More than two years ago I read of ongoing research by Dr. Pelle Lindqvist—reasearch indicating that greater exposure to sunlight resulted in longer life. I made several attempts to contact Dr. Lindqvist, but was unsuccessful. However, one of his colleagues answered my query and informed me that the research would not be completed later on and then be published. The results are now available, and they are impressive.
From University of Sydney in Australia comes the latest research to contradict one of the biggest lies of the past several decades: that melanoma is caused by sunlight exposure.
The results of the investigation were recently published in the International Journal of Cancer, and demonstrated that regular sunlight exposure was not associated with either overall melanoma risk or risk at different body sites. To the contrary, the highest sunlight exposure predicted a 44% decreased risk of melanoma on the head and neck when compared to the lowest exposure.
Stated another way, the authors might have suggested that sunlight exposure protects against the risk of contracting melanoma. In reading this research, I was reminded of a statement by Dr. Frank Garland during his presentation at a vitamin D conference I attended several years ago. He said, "melanoma is a disease of sedentary, indoor office workers." He was absolutely correct.
Those who have bought the propaganda of the American Academy of Dermatology may consider this information quite surprising, but in reality it is just one more in a long line of scientific investigations pointing out several reasons that melanoma is not caused by sunlight exposure: (1) Most melanomas occur on areas of the body that are seldom exposed to sunlight. (2) As sunscreen use has increased, melanoma has also increased. (3) Outdoor workers have far less risk of melanoma than indoor workers. (4) As the populace has left outdoor work and moved indoors, profoundly reducing sunlight exposure, melanoma has increased exponentially.
For those interested in reading further regarding these statements and also searching the references, they are contained on previous posts on this site. In the meantime, let's take advantage of some non-burning sun exposure to protect ourselves against melanoma.
I'm grateful to the scientists from Australia who brought forth this information. Truth will ultimately prevail.
 Vuong K, McGeechan K, Armstrong BK; AMFS Investigators; GEM Investigators, Cust AE. Occupational sun exposure and risk of melanoma according to anatomical site. Int J Cancer 2013 Nov 13 [Epub ahead of print].
Those who make a fortune by maligning the sunlight as the cause of melanoma, fail to consider that there are many factors that correlate to an increased melanoma risk. Two decades ago, an important study was published in the Annals of Epidemiology, which pointed to several nutritional factors, one of which was the consumption of alcohol. In that research, women who drank two or more drinks per day had an increased risk of melanoma of 250%. Then, in 2004, Amy Millen and her colleagues showed that high alcohol consumption (2.8 drinks per week) correlated to an increased risk of melanoma of 69%.
The latest research corroborates the findings of the two aforementioned studies. Jessica Kubo and colleagues investigated the effect of alcohol consumption on the risk of melanoma in a 10.2-year study. Several interesting observations emerged: (1) those who consumed 7+ drinks per week had a 64% increased risk of melanoma; (2) higher lifetime alcohol consumption was positively correlated to risk of the disease; (3) higher current alcohol consumption similarly correlated to a higher risk: (4) current alcohol intake also predicted higher risk; (5) a preference for white wine or liquor also predicted increased risk.
It is time that we started using our heads and look for the real reason for melanoma. Alcohol is just one reason among many, and it is time to look to other deleterious lifestyles as being the real causes of this deadly disease.
 Bain C, Green A, Siskind V, Alexander J, Harvey P. Diet and melanoma. An exploratory case-control study. Ann Epidemiol 1993;3:235-8.
 Millen AE, Tucker MA, Hartge P, Halpern A, Elder DE, et al. Diet and Melanoma in a Case-Control Study. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2004;13(6):1042-51.
In so many countries, sunlight is looked on with fear, and the press is constantly promoting that fear by warning that sun exposure in causing melanoma—an idea that is patently false.
Fortunately, in India not everyone is buying the sunscare propaganda. It is not uncommon to see articles in the Indian press expressing the concern that Indians, many of who have adopted the indoor lifestyles of western countries, are becoming severely deficient in vitamin D due to lack of sunlight exposure. One of those articles was recently published in the online version of India Today. The author, Nalini Ravichandran, correctly points out: "Scientific studies have proven that Vitamin D is like the ignition key to your car; the car won't run unless you turn the key and ignite the engine. So get started in the right direction, before it gets too late." In other words, seek the sunlight!
The author also laments the fact that 80% of Indians are now vitamin-D deficient. The only thing lacking in this excellent piece is a discussion of all the benefits of sunlight beyond vitamin D.
I applaud the efforts of the Indian press to bring the truth about sunlight to their populace. I have seen several articles in the past year all extolling the benefits of sunlight. Now, if only we could get the western press to catch up!
I have often stated that melanoma is more common in people with type-1 (non-tanning, pale) skin, and that moles correlate to a higher risk of skin cancer regardless of sunlight exposure. Now, new research shows that the genetic makeup that accompanies red hair–not the amount of sun exposure–also correlates to an increased risk of melanoma. Read the article.
So what does this mean? Let's stop attacking the sun and start addressing the real causes of skin cancers: 1. the presence of many moles on the skin[i], 2. Underexposure to sunlight[ii], 3. Lack of colorful fruits and vegetables in the diet[iii], 4. Drinking alcohol[iv], 5. Consumption of dairy products[v] and 6. Environmental pollutants such as PCBs.[vi] (see below for references). And of course, we have just established red hair as a risk factor for melanoma.
Exposure to sunlight has decreased dramatically in the last century, and sunscreen sales have exploded. During that same time there has been a concomitant exponential increase in melanoma. How then, can anyone in their right mind say that sunlight exposure causes melanoma? GET SERIOUS! The idea that sunlight causes melanoma, of course, is great way to sell sunscreens. Follow the money and you will discover the reasons for the promulgation of the sunlight/melanoma nonsense. Non-burning sunlight is our greatest friend and health enhancer. Check with your doctor before you make any changes in lifestyle.
[i] Green, A, et al. Risk factors for limb melanomas compared with trunk melanomas in Queensland. Melanoma Res 2012;22;86-91.
[ii] Godar DE, Landry RJ, Lucas AD. Increased UVA exposures and decreased cutaneous Vitamin D3 levels may be responsible for the increasing incidence of melanoma. Med Hypotheses 2009;72:434-43. Garland FC, White MR, Garland CF, Shaw E, Gorham ED. Occupational sunlight exposure and melanoma in the USA Navy. Arch Environ Health 1990; 45:261-67. Garsaud P, Boisseau-Garsaud AM, Ossondo M, Azaloux H, Escanmant P, Le Mab G. Epidemiology of cutaneous melanoma in the French West Indies (Martinique). Am J Epidemiol 1998;147:66-8.
[iii] Hughes, M. et al. Food intake and risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin in a community: The Nambour skin cancer cohort study. Int J Cancer 2006; online publication ahead of print.
[v] Hughes, M. et al. Food intake and risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin in a community: The Nambour skin cancer cohort study. Int J Cancer. 2006;15;119:1953-60.
[vi] Gallagher RP, Macarthur AC, Lee TK, et al. Plasma levels of polychlorinated biphenyls and risk of cutaneous malignant melanoma: a preliminary study. Int J Cancer 2011;15;128:1872-80.