At what age do sunburn episodes play a crucial role for the development of malignant melanoma
Westerdahl, J. LU ; Olsson, H. LU
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.
(Less)
- author
- Westerdahl, J.
LU
; Olsson, H.
LU
and Ingvar, C.
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 1994-01-01
- 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
-
- scopus:0028126863
- pmid:7833138
- 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
- 2025-10-16 23:24:22
@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}},
}