Skip to main content
PMC home page
British Journal of Cancer logoLink to British Journal of Cancer
. 1985 Mar;51(3):393–397. doi: 10.1038/bjc.1985.53

Sunburn and malignant melanoma.

A Green, V Siskind, C Bain, J Alexander
PMCID: PMC1976961  PMID: 3970815

Abstract

We investigated the relationship between cutaneous malignant melanoma and multiple sunburns in the Queensland population. Interview data were gathered from 236 case-control pairs concerning their lifetime experience of severe sunburns, their occupational and recreational sun exposure, and their skin type. Excluding the lentigo maligna melanoma subtype, an association between multiple sunburns and melanoma was evident. After controlling for other major risk factors there was a significant dose-response relationship (P less than 0.05): the estimated relative risk associated with 2-5 sunburns in life was 1.5, and with 6 or more was 2.4. This observation extends the hitherto circumstantial evidence of a causal relationship between exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation and melanoma, and suggests that precautionary measures could prevent the development of this disease in a proportion of cases in fair-skinned populations.

Full text

PDF
394

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Beitner H., Ringborg U., Wennersten G., Lagerlöf B. Further evidence for increased light sensitivity in patients with malignant melanoma. Br J Dermatol. 1981 Mar;104(3):289–294. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1981.tb00951.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Blum H. F. Ultraviolet radiation and skin cancer: in mice and men. Photochem Photobiol. 1976 Sep;24(3):249–254. doi: 10.1111/j.1751-1097.1976.tb06819.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Brown M. M., Sharpe C. A., Macmillan D. S., McGovern V. J. Genetic predisposition to melanoma and other skin cancers in Australians. Med J Aust. 1971 Apr 17;1(16):852–853. doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1971.tb87892.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. CORNFIELD J. A method of estimating comparative rates from clinical data; applications to cancer of the lung, breast, and cervix. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1951 Jun;11(6):1269–1275. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Epstein J. H. Photocarcinogenesis, skin cancer, and aging. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1983 Oct;9(4):487–502. doi: 10.1016/s0190-9622(83)70160-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. FREEMAN R. G., KNOX J. M. INFLUENCE OF TEMPERATURE ON ULTRAVIOLET INJURY. Arch Dermatol. 1964 Jun;89:858–864. doi: 10.1001/archderm.1964.01590300086023. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Feibleman C. E., Stoll H., Maize J. C. Melanomas of the palm, sole, and nailbed: a clinicopathologic study. Cancer. 1980 Dec 1;46(11):2492–2504. doi: 10.1002/1097-0142(19801201)46:11<2492::aid-cncr2820461130>3.0.co;2-j. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Gilchrest B. A., Soter N. A., Stoff J. S., Mihm M. C., Jr The human sunburn reaction: histologic and biochemical studies. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1981 Oct;5(4):411–422. doi: 10.1016/s0190-9622(81)70103-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Granstein R. D., Sober A. J. Current concepts in ultraviolet carcinogenesis. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1982 Jun;170(2):115–125. doi: 10.3181/00379727-170-41406. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Green A. Sun exposure and the risk of melanoma. Australas J Dermatol. 1984 Dec;25(3):99–102. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Hinds M. W. Nonsolar factors in the etiology of malignant melanoma. Natl Cancer Inst Monogr. 1982;62:173–178. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Holman C. D., Armstrong B. K. Pigmentary traits, ethnic origin, benign nevi, and family history as risk factors for cutaneous malignant melanoma. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1984 Feb;72(2):257–266. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. LANCASTER H. O., NELSON J. Sunlight as a cause of melanoma; a clinical survey. Med J Aust. 1957 Apr 6;44(14):452–456. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Lew R. A., Sober A. J., Cook N., Marvell R., Fitzpatrick T. B. Sun exposure habits in patients with cutaneous melanoma: a case control study. J Dermatol Surg Oncol. 1983 Dec;9(12):981–986. doi: 10.1111/j.1524-4725.1983.tb01051.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. MacKie R. M., Aitchison T. Severe sunburn and subsequent risk of primary cutaneous malignant melanoma in scotland. Br J Cancer. 1982 Dec;46(6):955–960. doi: 10.1038/bjc.1982.307. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. McGovern V. J., Shaw H. M., Milton G. W., Farago G. A. Is malignant melanoma arising in a Hutchinson's melanotic freckle a separate disease entity? Histopathology. 1980 May;4(3):235–242. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2559.1980.tb02918.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Miettinen O. Estimability and estimation in case-referent studies. Am J Epidemiol. 1976 Feb;103(2):226–235. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a112220. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Owens D. W., Knox J. M., Hudson H. T., Troll D. Influence of humidity on ultraviolet injury. J Invest Dermatol. 1975 Apr;64(4):250–252. doi: 10.1111/1523-1747.ep12510673. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Owens D. W., Knox J. M., Hudson H. T., Troll D. Influence of wind on ultraviolet injury. Arch Dermatol. 1974 Feb;109(2):200–201. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Setlow R. B. The wavelengths in sunlight effective in producing skin cancer: a theoretical analysis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1974 Sep;71(9):3363–3366. doi: 10.1073/pnas.71.9.3363. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from British Journal of Cancer are provided here courtesy of Cancer Research UK

RESOURCES