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At what age do sunburn episodes play a crucial role for the development of malignant melanoma

Westerdahl, J. LU ; Olsson, H. LU orcid and Ingvar, C. LU (1994) In European Journal of Cancer 30(11). p.1647-1654
Abstract

The age relationship between sunburns and malignant melanoma was investigated in a population-based, matched, case-control study from the South Swedish Health Care Region (the highest risk area for melanoma in Sweden). Between 1988 and 1990, a total of 400 patients with a first diagnosis of malignant melanoma and 640 healthy controls aged 15-75 years answered a comprehensive questionnaire including questions regarding ultraviolet radiation exposure. In addition, a literature review was performed. The average number of episodes of sunburn per year was significantly associated with malignant melanoma (relative risk, RR = 1.9 for ≥ three episodes per year versus never). Outdoor employment during the summer was associated with a decreased... (More)

The age relationship between sunburns and malignant melanoma was investigated in a population-based, matched, case-control study from the South Swedish Health Care Region (the highest risk area for melanoma in Sweden). Between 1988 and 1990, a total of 400 patients with a first diagnosis of malignant melanoma and 640 healthy controls aged 15-75 years answered a comprehensive questionnaire including questions regarding ultraviolet radiation exposure. In addition, a literature review was performed. The average number of episodes of sunburn per year was significantly associated with malignant melanoma (relative risk, RR = 1.9 for ≥ three episodes per year versus never). Outdoor employment during the summer was associated with a decreased risk for the development of malignant melanoma (RR = 0.8). Data from case-control studies and migration studies concerning age relationship between sunburns and melanom are inconsistent. From our own data, we did not find a higher risk of melanoma developed in individuals who had experienced severe sunburns in childhood. Instead, a significantly increased risk was associated with sunburns after age 19 years, RR = 2.2 for a history of more than five times versus never. Even if the hypothesis is biologically plausible, that episodes of sunburn early in life are associated with a higher risk of melanoma, so far epidemiological evidence is scarce. There is a need for better prospective epidemiological studies addressing this issue.

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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
age, melanoma, review, sunburn, ultraviolet radiation
in
European Journal of Cancer
volume
30
issue
11
pages
8 pages
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • pmid:7833138
  • scopus:0028126863
ISSN
0959-8049
DOI
10.1016/0959-8049(94)00337-5
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
6836db6f-d8fa-4a8f-bed0-43e68876e1a8
date added to LUP
2019-05-28 16:15:59
date last changed
2024-01-01 08:11:13
@article{6836db6f-d8fa-4a8f-bed0-43e68876e1a8,
  abstract     = {{<p>The age relationship between sunburns and malignant melanoma was investigated in a population-based, matched, case-control study from the South Swedish Health Care Region (the highest risk area for melanoma in Sweden). Between 1988 and 1990, a total of 400 patients with a first diagnosis of malignant melanoma and 640 healthy controls aged 15-75 years answered a comprehensive questionnaire including questions regarding ultraviolet radiation exposure. In addition, a literature review was performed. The average number of episodes of sunburn per year was significantly associated with malignant melanoma (relative risk, RR = 1.9 for ≥ three episodes per year versus never). Outdoor employment during the summer was associated with a decreased risk for the development of malignant melanoma (RR = 0.8). Data from case-control studies and migration studies concerning age relationship between sunburns and melanom are inconsistent. From our own data, we did not find a higher risk of melanoma developed in individuals who had experienced severe sunburns in childhood. Instead, a significantly increased risk was associated with sunburns after age 19 years, RR = 2.2 for a history of more than five times versus never. Even if the hypothesis is biologically plausible, that episodes of sunburn early in life are associated with a higher risk of melanoma, so far epidemiological evidence is scarce. There is a need for better prospective epidemiological studies addressing this issue.</p>}},
  author       = {{Westerdahl, J. and Olsson, H. and Ingvar, C.}},
  issn         = {{0959-8049}},
  keywords     = {{age; melanoma; review; sunburn; ultraviolet radiation}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{01}},
  number       = {{11}},
  pages        = {{1647--1654}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{European Journal of Cancer}},
  title        = {{At what age do sunburn episodes play a crucial role for the development of malignant melanoma}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0959-8049(94)00337-5}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/0959-8049(94)00337-5}},
  volume       = {{30}},
  year         = {{1994}},
}