title: Obesity and the incidence of skin cancer in US Caucasians.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Limited information is available on the potential link between obesity and either melanoma or non-melanoma skin cancers.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To conduct a prospective study to examine the association between obesity and the risk of both melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using pooled data from two large national cohorts in the US, the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS), we prospectively examined the incidence of melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and basal cell carcinoma (BCC) among participants grouped according to body mass index (BMI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to participants with an updated BMI in the normal range, those with a BMI in the obese range had a 32 % lower risk of developing SCC, and those with a BMI in the morbidly obese category had a 37 % lower risk of developing SCC. The decrease in SCC risk was limited to women. Compared to participants with a BMI in the normal range, those with a BMI in the obese range had a 19 % lower risk of developing BCC, and those with a BMI in the morbidly obese category had a 29 % lower risk of developing BCC. The risk of developing melanoma did not statistically differ by BMI grouping. The results were similar using BMI measurements obtained 10 years prior to the diagnosis of skin cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Obesity appears to be inversely associated with the development of non-melanoma skin cancers. Obesity is most likely a surrogate marker for lack of chronic sun exposure, which is a risk factor for non-melanoma skin cancers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of South Florida College of Medicine, Tampa, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Salma
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pothiawala
authors.forename: Abrar A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Qureshi
authors.forename: Yunhui
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jiali
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data