Measurement of Ultraviolet Exposure in Epidemiological Studies of Skin and Skin Cancers

Abstract

As our understanding of the role of UV in causing skin cancer continues to expand, researchers and clinicians must continue to remain up to date on the various means by which UV exposure can be quantified. The purpose of this article was to review the current methods used to measure lifetime exposure to UV and to summarize the strengths and weaknesses of each of these approaches. Thus we include here a review of research articles that deal with questionnaire reliability and physical examination. We also review more technologically advanced techniques used to measure chronic UV exposure; these include microtopography, histology, gene studies and spectroscopy. Both the utility of using a specific measurement technique and the accuracy of particular techniques are explored. Finally, we touch upon the results of articles that link UV exposure to skin cancer and what this means for the future of UV-induced skin cancer research.

A randomised, controlled clinical trial of narrowband UVB phototherapy for clinically isolated syndrome: The PhoCIS study

“…Silicon rubber imprints of the skin at the back of the hand were taken to measure past environmental UVR exposure. 15 Microtopography is one of the most common and reliable methods for examining cumulative sun exposure; casts were prepared according to standard procedures using kits from Affinis (C6601, Coltène, OH, USA) and graded from 1 to 6 by the Beagley-Gibson system. 15 Day-to-day environmental UVR exposure for all participants during the first 60 days of the study was measured using a wrist dosimeter (Scienterra Limited, Otago, New Zealand) that was set to capture UVR exposure between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m.…”

Estimation of individual cumulative ultraviolet exposure using a geographically-adjusted, openly-accessible tool

“…Calculating an individual’s lifetime UV radiation exposure can be challenging [ 9 ] in the clinical setting, as it requires information on (1) the frequency and duration of UV exposures which can vary over a person’s lifetime, and (2) the residential history, since UV index varies by geographic location. In the research setting, data on (1) has been gathered through face-to-face [ 3 , 5 , 6 , 10 – 15 ] or telephone interviews, [ 16 , 17 ] which can take 45 min just to collect sun exposure-related variables, [ 13 ] and is too time-consuming for a fast paced dermatology clinic.…”

Ultraviolet exposure and risk of melanoma and basal cell carcinoma in Ulm and Dresden, Germany

“…Data assessed with the help of standardized questionnaires regarding constitutional factors and UV exposure behaviour have been found to be highly reliable . According to published meta‐analyses, phenotypic characteristics related to the risk of CM include clinically atypical nevi, actinic skin damage and skin photo type .…”

“…12,13 Data assessed with the help of standardized questionnaires regarding constitutional factors and UV exposure behaviour have been found to be highly reliable. 14 According to published meta-analyses, phenotypic characteristics related to the risk of CM include clinically atypical nevi, actinic skin damage and skin photo type. 15,16 Likewise, UV-related risk factors for CM are intermittent sun exposure and history of sunburns, 17 whereas continuous sun exposure may be protective.…”