How could diet affect skin cancer?

    Written by:
    Morgan Pfiffner

    Fact-checked

    by:

    Louie Neri, Tyler Long
    Last Updated: May 16, 2025

    Diet can influence skin cancer risk; higher coffee consumption is associated with a lower risk of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and melanoma, whereas increased citrus fruit intake may raise melanoma risk due to psoralens. Additionally, higher alcohol consumption is associated with an increased risk of BCC, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and melanoma, whereas greater retinol intake may lower melanoma risk.

    Drinking more coffee is associated with a lower risk of both BCC[1] and melanoma, with these findings specific to caffeinated coffee.[2]

    A few prospective cohort studies have found that eating more citrus fruit (e.g., grapefruit, oranges) is associated with a higher risk of melanoma.[3] This could be due to citrus containing psoralens, compounds that become carcinogenic when exposed to ultraviolet light.[4]

    Higher alcohol consumption is associated with a higher risk of BCC,[5] SCC,[5] and melanoma.[6]

    A higher intake of retinol (a form of vitamin A) is associated with a lower risk of melanoma,[7] although high-quality research on the topic is somewhat limited.