Invited commentary: a sunbed epidemic?
The Icelandic study of melanoma trends by Héry et al. in this issue of the Journal (Am J Epidemiol. 2010;172(7):762-767) is a fascinating analysis of an ecologic association. The authors noted a sharp increase in melanoma incidence that appeared to lag a few years behind the increased prevalence of sunbeds in Iceland. Caution, however, must be exercised in interpreting the data because of the lack of understanding of emissions of ultraviolet radiation from sunbeds and the ecologic nature of the data.
Berwick
Marianne
M
University of New Mexico Cancer Center and Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131-0001, USA. mberwick@salud.unm.edu
D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D006801:Humans; D007055:Iceland / Q000453:epidemiology; D008545:Melanoma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D009381:Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D055108:Sunbathing; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays / Q000009:adverse effects*
Int J Cancer. 2007 Mar 1;120(5):1116-22
17131335
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2006 Mar 14;103(11):4111-5
16537493
Photochem Photobiol. 2008 Sep-Oct;84(5):1100-8
18399922
Melanoma Res. 2008 Feb;18(1):1-9
18227701
J Photochem Photobiol B. 2010 Nov 3;101(2):160-8
20444619
Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2010 Jun;19(6):1557-68
20507845
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2010 May 18;107(20):9329-34
20439744
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1993 Jul 15;90(14):6666-70
8341684
Eur J Cancer. 2005 Jan;41(1):20-7
15617988
Br J Dermatol. 1998 Sep;139(3):428-38
9767287
Lancet Oncol. 2009 Aug;10(8):751-2
19655431
Am J Epidemiol. 2010 Oct 1;172(7):762-7
20813801
Photodermatol Photoimmunol Photomed. 2007 Aug;23(4):120-5
17598864
Health Phys. 1999 Oct;77(4):436-40
10492351
J Photochem Photobiol B. 1991 Jan;8(2):219-23
1904923
J Invest Dermatol. 2008 Dec;128(12):2905-8
18615112
J Natl Cancer Inst. 2003 Oct 15;95(20):1530-8
14559875