ULTRAVIOLET‐RADIATION and SKIN CANCER. EFFECT OF AN OZONE LAYER DEPLETION

Abstract

The effect of changes in the ozone layer on the incidence of skin cancer was explored using data for Norway. Attempts were made to arrive at a relationship between the "environmental effective UV-dose" and the skin cancer incidence. Norway is well suited for this purpose because of the large variation in the annual UV-dose from north to south. Furthermore we have a well developed cancer registry and a homogeneous population with regard to skin type. Four different regions of the country, each with a broadness of 1 degree in latitude (approximately 111 km), were selected (located around 69.5, 63.5, 60 and 58.5 degrees N). The annual effective UV-doses for these regions were calculated, assuming normal ozone conditions throughout the year and the action spectrum proposed by CIE, which extends up to 400 nm. The incidence rate (in the period 1970-1980) of malignant melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer (mainly basal cell carcinoma) increased with the annual environmental UV-doses. For both these types of cancer a quadratic dose-effect relationship seems to be valid to a first approximation. The present data indicate that the incidence of skin cancer would increase by approximately 2% for each percent ozone reduction.

Solar Damage in Skin Tumors: Quantification of Elastotic Material

“…In several epidemiological studies, it has been demonstrated that increased UV radiation resulted in an increase in harmful sequelae such as skin cancer and precancerous skin lesions [1, 2, 3, 4]. In addition to UV radiation, many studies have demonstrated that skin cancers such as squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and Bowen’s disease (BD) could result from ionizing radiation, chemicals, viral infection and immunosuppression.…”

Stable Overexpression of Manganese Superoxide Dismutase in Mitochondria Identifies Hydrogen Peroxide as a Major Oxidant in the AP-1-mediated Induction of Matrix-degrading Metalloprotease-1

“…Therefore, ROS have been implicated to play a causal role in cancer, aging, and other degenerative diseases like arteriosclerosis, osteoarthritis, and impaired wound healing. These pathological states share unique features and are all characterized by a dysregulated localized (as is the case for cancer, invasion, and metastasis) or diffuse connective tissue breakdown due to enhanced activity of various matrix-degrading metalloproteases (3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10). The family of matrix-degrading metalloproteases now comprises at least 19 members with partly distinct, partly overlapping substrate specificities for different extracellular matrix proteins of the connective tissue.…”

Carcinogenesis Induced by UV and Ionizing Radiation

“…The worldwide reported rapid rise in the incidence of these cutaneous malignancies (Glass and Hoover 1989) is almost entirely attributed to increased cutaneous exposure to solar UV radiation mostly related to present social behaviours including skin tanning and increased outdoor leisure activities (Mukhtar and Elmets 1996). Increased UV exposure due to stratospheric ozone depletion has also become a factor of concern (Henriksen et al 1990) as well as indoor sunbed exposures (Autieret al 1994(Autieret al . 1995.…”