By Lynne Adkins
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Pilots and cabin crew have a new worry – skin cancer.
Working on an airplane puts you at high risk of getting melanoma, according to a new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association Dermatology because of the exposure to higher levels of UV radiation.
Dr. Jeffery Farma, Co-Director of the Cutaneous Oncology Program at Fox Chase Cancer Center.
“Pilots and crew members are at about double the risk of having melanoma over the general population, which is interesting,” says Dr. Jeffery Farma, Co-Director of the Cutaneous Oncology Program at Fox Chase Cancer Center. “This is an occupational hazard potentially that puts them at an increased risk just from where they’re working.”
He suggests they pay attention to any changes in the skin and see a dermatologist annually.
The study didn’t mention frequent fliers, but Dr. Farma says they should be on alert as well.
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