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Daily use of ß carotene supplements did not prevent skin cancer, but daily sunscreen use reduced the incidence of squamous cell carcinomas

Design
Randomised (allocation concealed^*), blinded (outcome assessor),^* placebo controlled trial with a 2x2 factorial design and 4.5 year follow up.

Setting
Subtropical Queensland, Australia.

Participants
1621 participants (mean age 49 y, 56% women) who were 20 to 69 years of age when they completed a skin cancer survey in 1986, had completed a second survey in 1992, and had a complete skin examination by a dermatologist with removal of all diagnosed tumours of the skin. Follow up was 85%.

Intervention
Participants were allocated to 1 of 4 groups: daily use of sun protection factor 15 plus broad spectrum sunscreen (to cover exposed sites on head, neck, arms, and hands) and ß carotene, one 30 mg tablet/day (n=404); daily sunscreen and placebo tablets (n=408); ß carotene alone (n=416); and placebo alone (n=393). Participants in the ß carotene alone or placebo alone groups were told they could continue using sunscreen at their usual . . . [Full text of this article]

Christopher Del Mar, MD, BChir, MA

University of Queensland Herston, Queensland, Australia