Exposure To Artificial Uv Radiation And Skin Cancer

This report represents the views and expert opinions of an IARC Working Group that met in Lyon, France, 27-29 June 2005

The third edition is a comprehensive and updated overview of positive and negative effects of UV-exposure, with a focus on Vitamin D and skin cancer. Researchers, oncologists,and students will be provided with the most significant and timely information related to topics such as the epidemiology of skin cancer, the immune system and skin cancer, ultraviolet damage, DNA repair and Vitamin D in Nonmelanoma skin cancer and malignant melanoma. There have been a number of new, scientific findings in this fast moving field that necessitated a thoroughly updated and revised edition including new Vitamin D metabolites and skin cancer, new findings on the beneficial effects of UV and solar UV and skin cancer, adverse effects of sun protection and sunscreens, sun exposure and mortality, and more. The book will summarize essential, up-to-date information for every clinician or scientist interested in how to balance the positive and negative effects of UV‐exposure to minimize the risks of developing vitamin D deficiency and skin cancer.

Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States, yet most cases are preventable. Every year in the United States, nearly 5 million people are treated for skin cancer, at an estimated cost of $8.1 billion. Melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer, causes nearly 9,000 deaths each year. Despite recent efforts to address risk factors, skin cancer rates continue to rise. While those with lighter skin are more susceptible, anyone can get skin cancer—and it can be serious, even deadly. Almost all of the conditions can be caused by unnecessary ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure, usually from excessive time in the sun or from the use of indoor tanning devices. It is alarming that every year, nearly one out of every three young white women aged 16–25 engages in indoor tanning. It's important to shatter the myth that tanned skin is a sign of health. And a “base” tan is not a “safe” tan. Tanned skin is damaged skin. Understanding the risk of UV exposure is crucial to protecting ourselves and our loved ones. That is why “The Surgeon General's Call to Action to Prevent Skin Cancer” is important for all of us. It outlines action steps we can all take—as individuals, parents, educators, employers, policy makers, health care professionals, and communities—to reverse this alarming trend. As a nation, we can all do more to address skin cancer as a serious public health challenge. Everyone is urged to find out more about the risk of skin cancer—and what we all can do to prevent it.

A working group of 23 experts from 13 countries met in Lyon to evaluate the evidence for carcinogenicity of arsenic (mostly naturally occurring) as a contaminant of drinking-water, and of the water-disinfectant chloramine. The working group also evaluated or re-evaluated four chlorination by-products found in drinking-water, namely chloral hydrate, di- and trichloroacetic acids, and 3-chloro-4-(dichloromethyl)-5-hydroxy-2(5H)-furanone (also known as MX). High-level exposure to arsenic in drinking-water occurs in some regions such as China, Latin America, Bangladesh and West Bengal. The Working Group reviewed epidemiological studies of human cancer (mainly ecological studies in Taiwan and Chile, and several case-control and cohort studies) in relation to arsenic in drinking-water. Arsenic in drinking-water (primarily inorganic, as arsenate and to a lesser extent arsenite) was evaluated as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1) on the basis of sufficient evidence for an increased risk for cancer of the urinary bladder, lung and skin. Studies on inorganic arsenic in experimental animals provided limited evidence for its carcinogenicity, but sufficient evidence was found in experimental animals for the carcinogenicity of dimethylarsinic acid (an organic form of arsenic), which produced urinary bladder tumours in rats and lung tumours in mice after oral administration.

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer among light-skinned populations. The chief environmental cause of skin cancer is ultraviolet radiation (UVR). UVR exposure comes mainly from the sun but over the past three decades there has been an increase in the use of artificial sources of UVR in the form of artificial tanning devices such as sunbeds stand up booths and facial tanners. This deliberate exposure to UVR for cosmetic purposes is increasing the incidence of the major types of skin cancer and driving down the age of first appearance.

This book is about the roles and importance of Ultraviolet (UV) light from sun and from man-made UV lamps in our daily life, on health and diseases, also its application in sterilization and treatment. The key words are: reactive oxygen species, DNA damage, UV mutagenicity, skin cancers, polymorphous light eruption, Xeroderma pigmentosum, vitiligo, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndromes, cardiovascular diseases, dermatology, photobiology, photodermatosis, vitamin D synthesis, vitamin D efficiency, water sterilization, blood sterilization, phototherapies, skin tanning and UV dosimeter. The book starts with introduction to UV light and the history of development of UV lamps and its applications. It then moves to describing the interaction of this light with biological components and the production of reactive oxygen species, their roles in cell signaling, cellular defense from foreign invaders, in mutagenesis leading to skin diseases including vitiligo, polymorphous light eruption and various forms of skin cancer. Then it presents the synthesis and importance of UV light and diseases, induced due to the deficiency of vitamin D. Roles of UV light in sterilization, disinfection, phototherapies are depicted in the next part and finally use and abuse of UV light in tanning salon and the availability and importance of use of UV dosimeter are highlighted. The three main focuses of this book are: - Damage to biological systems by UV light leading to certain skin diseases; most importantly skin cancers. - Importance of UV light in the in vivo synthesis of vitamin D when human bodies are exposed to it. - Diseases caused due to the deficiency of vitamin D and the use of UV lamps in phototherapy and sterilization processes. The editor has considerable experience in publishing medical books and has used it critically selecting the matters which will attract the readers from many areas of medical and non-medical fields. It is hoped that the materials presented in this book will give great benefit and will stimulate both novice and expert researchers in the field. The book gives excellent overviews of the current status of research and pointers to the future research achievements. Clinicians, medical general practitioners, technicians and staff working in UV related industries and especially those working in tanning salon should benefit from the information presented in safe handling of this light.

The skin, the body’s largest organ, is strategically located at the interface with the external environment where it detects, integrates and responds to a diverse range of stressors, including solar radiation. It has already been established that the skin is an important peripheral neuroendocrine-immune organ that is closely networked with central regulatory systems. These capabilities contribute to the maintenance of peripheral homeostasis. Specifically, epidermal and dermal cells produce and respond to classical stress neurotransmitters, neuropeptides and hormones, production which is stimulated by ultraviolet radiation (UVR), biological factors (infectious and non-infectious) and other physical and chemical agents. Examples of local biologically active products are cytokines, biogenic amines (catecholamines, histamine, serotonin and N-acetyl-serotonin), melatonin, acetylocholine, neuropeptides including pituitary (proopiomelanocortin-derived ACTH, b-endorphin or MSH peptides, thyroid stimulating hormone) and hypothalamic (corticotropin-releasing factor and related urocortins, thyroid-releasing hormone) hormones, as well as enkephalins and dynorphins, thyroid hormones, steroids (glucocorticoids, mineralocorticoids, sex hormones, 7-δ steroids), secosteroids, opioids and endocannabinoids. The production of these molecules is hierarchical, organized along the algorithms of classical neuroendocrine axes such as the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis (HPA), hypothalamic-thyroid axis (HPT), serotoninergic, melatoninergic, catecholaminergic, cholinergic, steroid/secosteroidogenic, opioid and endocannabinoid systems. Disruptions of these axes or of communication between them may lead to skin and/or systemic diseases. These local neuroendocrine networks also serve to limit the effect of noxious environmental agents to preserve local and consequently global homeostasis. Moreover, the skin-derived factors/systems can also activate cutaneous nerve endings to alert the brain to changes in the epidermal or dermal environments, or alternatively to activate other coordinating centers by direct (spinal cord) neurotransmission without brain involvement. Furthermore, rapid and reciprocal communications between epidermal and dermal and adnexal compartments are also mediated by neurotransmission including antidromic modes of conduction. Lastly, skin cells and the skin as an organ coordinate and/or regulate not only peripheral but also global homeostasis.

Interest in the etiology of malignant melanoma has increased enor mously in the last 10 years, after it was realized that the incidence of the cutaneous form of the disease was rising. Treatment of the disease has not improved dramatically, and our best hope for curtailing the rise in mortality and morbidity from the disease appears to be primarily through early detection and, per haps in the future, through prevention. It is thus very important for the medical community to be able to recognize individuals and groups at high risk of the disease because of either familial and con stitutional factors and lifestyle or exposure to environmental risk factors. This book, arising from a meeting held in Vancouver in 1984, pro vides a summary of the latest findings amo ~ Caucasian popula tions along with perspectives on the most im, Jrtant environmental risk factors identified to date. Comparison of results from the four major analytic studies presented here also demonstrates that a num ber of factors implicated in other common cancers are probably not related to the incidence of melanoma. These include smoking, alco hol consumption, and for the most part, diet. The Vancouver conference was sponsored by the Cancer Control Agency of British Columbia, and was financially supported by Health and Welfare Canada (6610-1429-50), the Northern Califor nia Cancer Program (NCCP), Miles Laboratories (Canada), Bristol Myers Laboratories (Canada), and Plough Canada Inc.