Airplane Staff at Increased Risk for Melanoma

Inside a speedy airplane might seem like a safe spot away from sun damage.

Yet a recent study with findings published in JAMA Dermatology found that pilots were about twice as likely to develop melanoma as those who did not regularly fly on planes; the same was also true for flight cabin crew.

"In this systematic review and meta-analysis including 19 studies and more than a quarter of a million participants, we found that the combined and separate SIRs for pilots and cabin crew were greater than the 2, indicating that pilots and air crew have twice the incidence of melanoma compared with the general population. ... This has important implications for occupational health and protection of this population," researchers noted, in a news release. 

For their findings, researchers conducted a meta-analysis that involved 19 studies with more than 266,000 participants. The study results revealed that anyone with a flight-based occupation was two times more likely to develop skin cancer.

Furthermore, researchers predict that about 76,000 Americans will be diagnosed with melanoma and 9,710 of that sample will die by the end of 2014.

Fortunately, wearing sunscreen and protective clothing can also help to protect against melanoma. Yet high-risk jobs and genetics also play a roll.