title: Impact of ozone depletion on skin cancers.
abstract: Because of recent growth in the uses and production of certain chlorofluorocarbon compounds, the ozone layer is at risk of diminishing. The major effect of a decrease in ozone will be an increase in the amount of UV-B radiation in sunlight. Even a small increase in UV-B radiation will almost certainly affect human health. The most obvious effect of increased UV-B radiation will be an increase in the incidence of basal and squamous cell carcinomas. Other possible effects include a contribution to the development of cutaneous melanoma, ocular changes leading to the formation of cataracts, and immunologic perturbations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston 77030.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Kripke
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002386:Cataract / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007154:Immune System Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D007391:International Cooperation; D008545:Melanoma / Q000453:epidemiology; D010126:Ozone; D012306:Risk; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D010126:Ozone