Abstract
The most common human cancer, skin cancer, has long been known to be localized mainly on the head and neck. Since these areas are most directly exposed to the sun, it is no surprise that sunlight was suspected as the culprit. Physicians keep two kinds of records on human skin cancer: incidence and prevalence. Incidence data record the number of cases of cancer appearing in a given geographical area per year, and prevalence data indicate the total number of cancers at one time in a given place. Squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma, shown in Figures 8:1B,C, are the two most commonly found types of skin cancer. These carcinomas may form nodules on the skin or grow downward into the dermal connective tissue, or invade the dermis laterally. Skin cancers appear to be on the increase in the light-skinned population.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
For Additional Reading
Blum, H. F. Carcinogenesis by Ultraviolet Light, Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1959.
Cleaver, J. E. “Xeroderma Pigmentosum—Progress and Regress.” (Review) Journal of Investigative Dermatology 60 (1973): 374–380.
Daive, C. J., and Harshberger, J. C. eds. A Symposium on Neoplasms and Related Disorders of Invertebrate and Lower Vertebrate Animals. Bethesda, Md.: National Cancer Institute Monograph 31, 1968.
Epstein, J. H. “Ultraviolet Carcinogenesis.” In Photophysiology, vol. 5, edited by A. C. Giese. New York: Academic Press, 1970, pp. 235–273.
Fitzpatrick, T. B., Pathak, M. A., Harber, L. C, Seiji, M. and Kukita, A., eds. Sunlight and Man, Tokyo: Tokyo University Press, pp. 259–283, 285–298, 299–315.
Freeman, R. G. “Recurrent Skin Cancers” Archives of Dermatology 107 (1973): 394–399.
Giese, A. C. “Ultraviolet Action Spectra in Perspective: with Special Reference to Mutation.” Photochemistry and Photobiology 8 (1968): 527–546.
Hsu, J. Forbes, P. D., Harber, L. C., and Lakow, E. “Induction of Skin Tumors in Hairless Mice by a Single Exposure to UV Radiation.” Photochemistry and Photobiology, 21 (1975): 185–188.
Keeler, C. “Albinism, Xeroderma Pigmentosum and Skin Cancer.” National Cancer Institute Monograph 10 (1964): 349–359.
Lee, J. A. H., and Merrill, J. M. “Sunlight and the Etiology of Malignant Melanoma: A Synthesis.” Medical Journal of Australia 2 (1970): 846–851.
Milne, J. A. An Introduction to the Diagnostic Histopathology of the Skin. Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins, 1972.
Robbins, J. H., Kraemer, K. H., Lutzner, M. A., Festoff, B. W., and Coon, H. G. “Xeroderma Pigmentosum. An Inherited Disease with Sun Sensitivity, Multiple Cutaneous Neoplasms and Abnormal DNA-repair.” Annals of Internal Medicine 80 (1974):221–248.
Schultz, J., and Graizer, H. G. eds. The Role of Cyclic Nucleotides in Carcinogenesis. New York: Academic Press, 1973.
Urbach, F. ed. The Biologic Effects of Ultraviolet Radiation. Oxford, Pergamon Press: 1969, pp. 433–435, 619–623, 635–650.
Urbach, F. ed., Rose, D. B., and Bonnem, M. “Genetic and Environmental Interactions in Skin Carcinogenesis.” In Environmental Cancer, Baltimore, Md.: Williams and Wilkins, 1972.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1976 Plenum Press, New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Giese, A.C. (1976). Sunlight and Cancer. In: Living with Our Sun’s Ultraviolet Rays. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-8744-6_8
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-8744-6_8
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4615-8746-0
Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-8744-6
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive