			Home About us Contact

Sun Sensitivity (sun + sensitivity)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	100%

Selected Abstracts

Sensitivity to ultraviolet B is a risk factor for cutaneous melanoma in a Mediterranean population: results from an Italian case,control study

CLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL DERMATOLOGY, Issue 1 2009
A. Chiarugi
Summary Background., Sun sensitivity is one of the predictors of melanoma risk, together with other individual characteristics such as skin and eye colour and number of naevi. However, it is unclear how best to measure sun sensitivity in order to quantify the individual risk of melanoma. Objectives., In this case,control study, the relationship between minimal erythema dose (MED) and skin colour (both instrumentally assessed) was investigated, and their possible role as independent risk factors for melanoma in a Mediterranean population evaluated. Methods., In total, 143 patients with cutaneous melanoma and 102 controls were enrolled in the study. Skin colour was assessed using a Minolta CR-200 chromameter. For MED calculation, a fluorescent lamp (Philips TL 4W/12) was used as a source of ultraviolet B light. MED was defined as the lowest dose that produced an increase of 2.5 in the redness value, expressed by the parameter a* of the Commission Internationale d'Eclairage (CIE) L*a*b* colour space (,a* = 2.5). Results., A significant excess of risk was associated with increasing L* values of skin colour (P < 0.05; OR = 1.12; 95% CI 1.01,1.24) for each unit of change. Low MED values were also associated with an increasing risk of melanoma, with an excess of risk of 18% (OR = 1.18, 95% CI 1.04,1.35) for every 10 mJ/cm2 of MED reduction. Compared with the highest MED values (> 97.7 mJ/cm2), subjects with MED values , ,50 mJ/cm2 or lower had a > 2-fold increased risk of melanoma (OR = 2.37, 95% CI 1.05,5.38). The effect of decreasing MED value as a melanoma risk factor persisted after adjustment for skin colour and atypical naevi in a multivariate model. Conclusions., In conclusion, both instrumentally assessed skin colour and MED are significant risk factors for malignant melanoma in a Mediterranean population. MED seems be an independent variable in establishing the subject's risk profile. [source]

Pigmentary characteristics and moles in relation to melanoma risk

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER, Issue 1 2005
Linda Titus-Ernstoff
Abstract Although benign and atypical moles are considered key melanoma risk factors, previous studies of their influence were small and/or institution-based. We conducted a population-based case-control study in the state of New Hampshire. Individuals of ages 20,69 with an incident diagnosis of first primary cutaneous melanoma were ascertained through the New Hampshire State Cancer Registry. Controls were identified through New Hampshire driver's license lists and frequency-matched by age and gender to cases. We interviewed 423 eligible cases and 678 eligible controls. Host characteristics, including mole counts, were evaluated using logistic regression analyses. Our results showed that pigmentary factors, including eye color (OR = 1.57 for blue eyes compared to brown), hair color (OR = 1.85 for blonde/red hair color compared to brown/black), freckles before age 15 (OR = 2.39 for freckles present compared to absent) and sun sensitivity (OR = 2.25 for peeling sunburn followed by no tan or a light tan and 2.42 for sunburn followed by tan compared to tanning immediately), were related to melanoma risk; these associations held after adjustment for sun-related factors and for moles. In analyses confined to skin examination participants, the covariate-adjusted effects of benign and atypical moles were moderately strong. Compared to 0,4 benign moles, risk increased steadily for 5,14 moles (OR = 1.71), 15,24 moles (OR = 3.55) and , 25 moles (OR = 4.33). Risk also increased with the number of atypical moles; compared to none, the ORs for having 1, 2,3, or , 4 atypical moles were 2.08, 1.84 and 3.80, respectively. Although risk was highest for those with multiple benign and atypical moles, the interaction was not of statistical significance. Our findings, arising from the first population- and incidence-based study to evaluate atypical moles in relation to melanoma risk, confirm the importance of host susceptibility, represented by pigmentary factors and the tendency to develop benign or atypical moles, in the etiology of this disease. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Spectrum of idiopathic photodermatoses in a Mediterranean country

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 6 2003
Alexander J. Stratigos md
Background ,Idiopathic photodermatoses are considered to be common disorders in the population of northern latitude countries, presumably because of the dominance of more "sun-sensitive" individuals with a light-skinned complexion. The incidence of these disorders in the Mediterranean or tropical countries is often under-appreciated because of the higher degree of perennial presence of sunlight and the prevalence of darker skin-type individuals who are seemingly more resistant to the development of sun sensitivity. Methods ,We performed a retrospective, chart-based review of all patients who were diagnosed with idiopathic photodermatoses at a photodermatology referral center in Athens, Greece, during a period of 10 years. Our aim was to assess the pattern of idiopathic photosensitivity disorders in a Mediterranean country and to determine their epidemiological, clinical, and photobiological profile. Results ,A total of 310 patients were referred to our center with symptoms of photosensitivity. One hundred and forty-six patients (47.0%) were diagnosed with an idiopathic photosensitivity disorder by means of history, clinical examination, biochemical screening, histology, and phototesting. The most prevalent disorder was polymorphous light eruption, which was diagnosed in 95 patients (65.0%) of our cohort. Chronic actinic dermatitis occurred in 15 patients (10.2%), solar urticaria in 26 patients (17.8%), actinic prurigo in three patients (2.0%), hydroa vacciniforme in one patient (0.6%) and juvenile spring eruption in six patients (4.1%). Conclusions ,Compared with the results of other studies, the prevalence of idiopathic photodermatoses appears to have a similar trend to that of higher latitude countries. Distinct features in our series include the higher incidence of idiopathic photosensitivity in patients with a fair-skinned complexion (skin types II,III) and the frequent appearance of photo-induced eruptions during sunny weather breaks in the winter period. [source]

Atypical Response of Xeroderma Pigmentosum to 5-Fluorouracil: A Histopathological Image Analysis Study Reveals New Insight into Etiopathogenesis

JOURNAL OF CUTANEOUS PATHOLOGY, Issue 1 2005
S.A. Centurion
Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) is a recessively inherited genodermatosis associated with extreme sun sensitivity, defective repair of several types of sunlight induced adducts in cellular DNA, and numerous, early-onset skin cancers. The dry, rough skin corresponds to progressive cytologic atypia and loss of polarity in the underlying epidermis. Associated with these changes are immune deficiencies against ultraviolet radiation-induced skin cancer. 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is a DNA synthesis antimetabolite used against several types of cancers. Applied topically in normal subjects it is associated with moderate to severe inflammation in areas where actinic keratoses have arisen followed by ablation of the actinic keratoses which is dependent on the inflammation. We applied 5-FU to the sun-exposed skin of two patients with XP, a 14 year-old light complected black male and a 14 year-old Caucasian female. No inflammation was observed, but marked improvement in the clinical presentation of the skin was seen, as well as an absence of new malignancies. This change was confirmed histopathologically and correlated with normalization of polarity and cytologic changes in the epidermal cells. These histologic findings were quantitated using computerized image analysis. These results may be due to activation of alternative DNA repair pathways in these nucleotide excision repair deficient cells. [source]