A Clinical Review of the Evidence for the Role of Ultraviolet Radiation in the Etiology of Cutaneous Melanoma

Abstract

INTRODUCTION The incidence of cutaneous melanoma is increasing at a greater rate than any other malignancy in men and is second only to lung cancer in women (1). In the United States the incidence of melanoma has been increasing 4% each year over the period 1973-1991 (2). There is strong epidemiological evidence that solar radiation is an important underlying cause of melanoma and is playing a role in the striking increase in incidence noted recently. It has been estimated that solar radiation is responsible for 96% and 92% of melanoma in Caucasian men and women in the United States, respectively (3). This review will outline the epidemiological evidence for the role of ultraviolet radiation in causing melanoma and emphasize the public health implications.