Beach Vacations May Increase Youngsters' Risk of Cancer

Researchers from Denver evaluated 681 children born in 1998 in Colorado, asking their parents about childhood vacation destinations and then conducting skin exams when the children were age 7 to look for nevi -- commonly known as moles. These moles are a risk factor for developing malignant melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer.

"Moles went up 5 percent for every vacation they took [beginning at age 1 year]," said study senior author Lori Crane, an associate professor and chairwoman of community and behavioral health at the Colorado School of Public Health.