A melanoma of approximately 2.5 cm by 1.5 cm. – Wikipedia

I’ve talked about studies that link red meat to colon cancer and to prostate cancer. This one links red meat to melanoma, a serious skin cancer:

Red Meat And Fruit Intake Is Prognostic Among Patients With Localized Cutaneous Melanomas More Than 1 mm Thick, Cancer Epidemiology, October 2014

The study included 249 patients with localized melanomas ≥1.00 mm thick who were followed for 15 years.

After adjustment for tumor thickness, age, lesion location and hair color:

• Eating red meat at least weekly was associated with poorer survival.
• Eating fruit at least daily was associated with better survival.

They say that “the 10-year mortality for localized cutaneous melanoma more than 1.00 mm thick approaches 40% following complete resection.” So, about 40 in 100 people (or 4 in 10 people) who were diagnosed with melanoma more than 1 mm thick – which had not metastasized, and which was completely removed surgically at the time of diagnosis – die of it anyway. Melanoma is one of the most serious cancers you can get.

How do people eating Paleo, Atkins, low-carb, or any diet that includes a lot of meat justify it? In light of these studies? As I keep saying, these diets may be good for weight loss, but they’re not good for the longterm.