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This just in! Recreational sun exposure can prevent lymphoma

German researchers have found recreational sun exposure is associated with reduced risk for cancers of the lymph system, or malignant lymphomas.
The number of vacations spent in sunny climates was inversely associated with a diagnosis of lymphoma, the researchers report, especially for Hodgkin lymphoma and B-non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Mantle cell lymphoma falls under the latter category.
After accounting for other factors associated with lymphoma risk, the researchers found that individuals who spent more than 1,190 cumulative days in sunny locations had a 60-percent lower risk than those in sunny locations for 350 days or less.

Whoa!! I think I've exceeded the 1,190 cumulative days, having lived in Southern California, and Houston, TX, for the last 29 years.
One exception was high UV exposure during outdoor leisure activities up to age 15 years, which was associated with an increased risk of lymphoma.

Oh! I guess that must have been my problem. When I was 15 years old, there weren't things like video games and computers to occupy my time, and keep me in the house.

So I guess there's something to be said for parents insisting their children stay in doors and become couch potatoes, at least until age 15.

Of course, the one caveat (remember there always has to be at least one caveat)
this must still be balanced against the strong association between sun exposure and skin cancers, including melanoma, a potentially lethal cancer that can spread and be hard to treat.

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