Does tanning cause melanoma?
A. There is no conclusive evidence which substantiates that malignant melanoma is caused by gradual, moderate UV exposure. People in Alaska and other northern states have far more deaths per year than people from Hawaii, Florida and all other sun filled states. Melanoma usually occurs on parts of the body that receive no sun exposure. However, severe sunburn before the age of 30 is one of the risk factors for melanoma later in life.
There is no conclusive evidence which substantiates that malignant melanoma is caused by gradual, moderate UV exposure. However, those who are predisposed to develop melanoma due to hereditary factors may intensify this condition with exposure to indoor or outdoor UV light. While some studies have suggested a link between severe sunburn and malignant melanoma, there are other studies available that prove an inverse relationship. In a study published in the International Journal of Cancer in 1989 (known as the Western Canada Melanoma Study), Canadian researchers found a significant inverse association between melanoma and chronic or long-term occupational sun exposure in men, with the lowest risk in those with maximum occupational exposure. This may suggest that repeated exposure can be protective. Gradual, moderate exposure is not believed to be a strong influential factor as melanoma generally develops on those areas not normally exposed to UV light.
A. There is no conclusive evidence which substantiates that malignant melanoma is caused by gradual, moderate UV exposure. However, those who are predisposed to develop melanoma due to hereditary factors may intensify this condition with exposure to indoor or outdoor UV light. While some studies have suggested a link between severe sunburn and malignant melanoma, there are other studies available that prove an inverse relationship. In a study published in the International Journal of Cancer in 1989 (known as the Western Canada Melanoma Study), Canadian researchers found a significant inverse association between melanoma and chronic or long-term occupational sun exposure in men, with the lowest risk in those with maximum occupational exposure. This may suggest that repeated exposure can be protective. Gradual, moderate exposure is not believed to be a strong influential factor as melanoma generally develops on those areas not normally exposed to UV light.
There is no conclusive evidence which substantiates that malignant melanoma is caused by gradual, moderate UV exposure. People in Alaska and other northern states have far more deaths per year than people from Hawaii, Florida and all other sun filled states. Melanoma usually occurs on parts of the body that receive no sun exposure. However, severe sunburn before the age of 30 is one of the risk facts for melanoma later in life.
