Fish consumption has been shown to be associated with a predisposition to skin cancer

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Scientists from found that eating a large amount of fish is associated with an increased risk of developing melanoma, skin cancer.

Melanoma is often an aggressive disease, this type of skin cancer can spread to other organs of the body. If the tumor gives metastases that spread to other areas, it makes treatment much more difficult.

Most melanomas arise as a result of exposure to UV radiation, which damages the DNA of cells. A new study suggests that UV radiation is not the only potential cause of skin cancer. The journal Cancer Causes and Control reported that researchers from Brown University found a link between eating a lot of fish and a tendency to melanoma.

Experts found that adults whose average fish consumption was more than 42.8 grams per day had a 28 percent higher risk of developing abnormal cells in the outer layer of the skin. The appearance of such cells is considered by doctors as a stage preceding cancer (this is the so-called stage zero melanoma).

Talking about why fish can increase susceptibility to cancer, the authors of the work explained this connection with the content in fish pollutants – polychlorinated biphenyls, dioxins, arsenic, mercury. According to scientists, there are other studies that show that active consumption of fish is associated with higher levels of these pollutants in the human body and with a higher risk of skin cancer.

At the same time, experts note that the obtained data do not mean the need to stop eating fish altogether. According to them, the revealed connection still needs further study.

Signs of melanoma. One of the early signs is the appearance of an abnormal birthmark. Here are its characteristics:

• increase in size
• change in shape
• change in color
• bleeding or crusting

< li>appearance of itching or soreness.

Potentially dangerous moles usually have an uneven or jagged edge of an irregular shape and are larger than 6 mm.