Blood Mercury Levels Up Skin Cancer Risk

Higher levels of mercury in the blood were associated with an increased prevalence of non-melanoma skin cancer, the most common human malignancy, in a study published in the British Journal of Dermatology.

For the study, researchers analyzed 2003-2016 data on 29,413 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Skin Cancer - Types, Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment & Prevention
Skin cancer is an abnormal growth of skin cells. It can develop due to a continuous exposure to sun over the years.

‘Compared with individuals with low total mercury, those with high total mercury had nearly double the odds of being diagnosed with non-melanoma skin cancer.’

Tweet it Now

The team examined blood levels of different forms of mercury: total mercury, inorganic mercury, and methyl mercury.

Similarly, participants with high methyl mercury had a 1.7-times greater odds of non-melanoma skin cancer compared with those with low methyl mercury. Inorganic mercury levels were non-significantly but positively associated with non-melanoma skin cancer.

Most individuals in the United States are exposed to mercury through consumption of contaminated fish and shellfish.

Quiz on Skin Cancer
The skin is the largest organ of the body, comprising of two main layers - the epidermis and the dermis. This quiz on skin cancer will help you brush up your knowledge on this topic.

Source-Eurekalert

Woman Got Mercury Poisoning from Her Skin Whitening Cream
A 47-year-old Mexican American woman suffered mercury poisoning and irreversible neurological damage due to the skin-whitening cream she has been using for years.

Peru Residents Are Exposed to Highly Dangerous Levels of Mercury
A combination of diet and artisanal/small-scale gold mining occurring in the Peruvian Amazon is exposing residents to high levels of mercury.