TY - JOUR
T1 - Number and size of nevi are influenced by different sun exposure components
T2 - Implications for the etiology of cutaneous melanoma (Belgium, Germany, France, Italy)
AU - Autier, Philippe
AU - Severi, Gianluca
AU - Pedeux, Remy
AU - Cattaruzza, Maria Sofia
AU - Boniol, Mathieu
AU - Grivegnée, André
AU - Doré, Jean François
PY - 2003/6/1
Y1 - 2003/6/1
N2 - Objective: The solar wavelength involved in melanoma occurrence remains unknown. Sunburns and latitude gradient are indicators of greater exposure to the ultraviolet B radiation. We examined the associations between the components of holiday sun exposure with numbers of small (2-4.9 mm) and large nevi (≥5 mm) in young children. Methods: Information about each holiday period from birth to interview was recorded from parents of 628 6-7-year-old children in four European countries. Sun exposure was characterized using four different components: cumulative duration of holidays, number of holiday periods, sunburn episodes and latitude gradient between habitual living place and holiday places. Results: Individual susceptibility to sunlight, cumulative duration and number of holiday periods were moderately associated with increasing number of small but not of large nevi. The number of small nevi together with sunburn history and latitude gradient were strong predictors of large nevi number. In contrast, sunburn history and latitude gradient were not associated with small nevi. Conclusions: Exposure to high doses of ultraviolet B radiation would be implicated in the formation of large nevi, while solar radiation other than the ultraviolet B could be implicated in the development of small nevi in children. Given that numbers of large nevi are strong predictors of melanoma in children and adolescents, these results agree with the hypothesis that high ultraviolet B doses are needed for melanoma occurrence, but probably not for nevi formation.
AB - Objective: The solar wavelength involved in melanoma occurrence remains unknown. Sunburns and latitude gradient are indicators of greater exposure to the ultraviolet B radiation. We examined the associations between the components of holiday sun exposure with numbers of small (2-4.9 mm) and large nevi (≥5 mm) in young children. Methods: Information about each holiday period from birth to interview was recorded from parents of 628 6-7-year-old children in four European countries. Sun exposure was characterized using four different components: cumulative duration of holidays, number of holiday periods, sunburn episodes and latitude gradient between habitual living place and holiday places. Results: Individual susceptibility to sunlight, cumulative duration and number of holiday periods were moderately associated with increasing number of small but not of large nevi. The number of small nevi together with sunburn history and latitude gradient were strong predictors of large nevi number. In contrast, sunburn history and latitude gradient were not associated with small nevi. Conclusions: Exposure to high doses of ultraviolet B radiation would be implicated in the formation of large nevi, while solar radiation other than the ultraviolet B could be implicated in the development of small nevi in children. Given that numbers of large nevi are strong predictors of melanoma in children and adolescents, these results agree with the hypothesis that high ultraviolet B doses are needed for melanoma occurrence, but probably not for nevi formation.
KW - Childhood
KW - Melanoma
KW - Nevus
KW - Sun exposure
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0041732175&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1023/A:1024961100651
DO - 10.1023/A:1024961100651
M3 - Article
C2 - 12946040
AN - SCOPUS:0041732175
SN - 0957-5243
VL - 14
SP - 453
EP - 459
JO - Cancer Causes and Control
JF - Cancer Causes and Control
IS - 5
ER -