Orange, Grapefruit Juice Linked to Skin Cancer, Says Study

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Breakfast is often incomplete without an orange juice on the table or sometimes, a quarter of a grapefruit if you are a health-conscious individual. However, a recent study has suggested an unexpected link between skin cancer and too much consumption of these foods.

CBS News reports that in a study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, researchers have found that individuals who regularly consume orange juice or grapefruit have increased risk in developing melanoma, compared to individuals who do not consume them.

The result can be linked to the presence of a photoactive compound called furocoumarin that is highly sensitive to light and allows melanoma cells to reproduce when exposed to ultraviolet rays, according to The Washington Post.

However, experts argue that the findings did not demonstrate a direct link nor prove that citrus fruits are to blame for the occurrence of skin cancer.

Dr. Abrar Qureshi, chair of dermatology at Brown University, has stated that orange juice and grapefruit cannot cause damage without too much sunlight exposure. He has pointed out that skin protection should be the initial defense against skin cancer, not avoiding citrus fruits.

Web MD also writes that Dr. Qureshi's advice was concurred by Marianne Berwick, a skin cancer researcher and dermatology professor at the University of New Mexico. She pointed out that the public shouldn't be alarmed about citrus fruits based on this research alone, as it shows a number of weaknesses.

The researchers studied nurses and men from health profession, who generally have a tendency to pay more attention to abnormal lesions, she said. The possibility of identifying cancerous lesions could have been doubled as compared to a group who has no idea what cancerous lesions look like.

The study also only links orange juice and grapefruit to melanoma, not grapefruit juice nor whole oranges. Berwick reasons that there is no explanation for this and should be duplicated in other study groups and citrus fruits. 

The American Society of Clinical Oncology commented that, although the study is "intriguing", it is far too soon to recommend any dietary changes as fruits, in general, are good for the health.