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Ambient UV, personal sun exposure and risk of multiple primary melanomas

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Abstract

Objective

Sun exposure is the main cause of melanoma in populations of European origin. No previous study has examined the effect of sun exposure on risk of multiple primary melanomas compared with people who have one melanoma.

Methods

We identified and enrolled 2,023 people with a first primary melanoma (controls) and 1,125 with multiple primary melanomas (cases) in seven centers in four countries, recorded their residential history to assign ambient UV and interviewed them about their sun exposure.

Results

Risk of multiple primary melanomas increased significantly (P < 0.05) to OR = 2.10 for the highest exposure quarter of ambient UV irradiance at birth and 10 years of age, to OR = 1.38 for lifetime recreational sun exposure, to OR = 1.85 for beach and waterside activities, to OR = 1.57 for vacations in a sunnier climate, to OR = 1.50 for sunburns. Occupational sun exposure did not increase risk (OR = 1.03 for highest exposure). Recreational exposure at any age increased risk and appeared to add to risk from ambient UV in early life.

Conclusions

People who have had a melanoma can expect to reduce their risk of a further melanoma by reducing recreational sun exposure whatever their age. The same is probably true for a person who has never had a melanoma.

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Acknowledgements

The study was conducted by the GEM Study Group: Coordinating Center, Memorial Sloan—Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY: Marianne Berwick (PI, currently at the University of New Mexico), Colin B. Begg (Co-PI), Irene Orlow (Co-Investigator), Urvi Mujumdar (Project Coordinator), Amanda J. Hummer (Biostatistician), Nandita Mitra (Biostatistician), Klaus Busam (Dermatopathologist), Pampa Roy (Laboratory Technician), Rebecca Canchola (Laboratory Technician), Brian Clas (Laboratory Technician), Javier Cotignola (Laboratory Technician), and Yvette Monroe (Interviewer).Study centers included the following: The University of Sydney and The Cancer Council New South Wales, Sydney, Australia: Bruce K. Armstrong (PI), Anne Kricker (Co-PI), Melisa Litchfield (Study Coordinator); Menzies Centre for Population Health Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia: Terence Dwyer (PI), Paul Tucker (Dermatopathologist), Nicola Stephens (Study Coordinator); British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, Canada: Richard P. Gallagher (PI), Teresa Switzer (Coordinator); Cancer Care Ontario, Toronto, Canada: Loraine D. Marrett (PI), Elizabeth Theis (Co-Investigator), Lynn From (Dermatopathologist), Noori Chowdhury (Coordinator), Louise Vanasse (Coordinator), Mark Purdue (Research Officer), David Northrup (Manager for CATI); Centro per la Prevenzione Oncologia Torino, Piemonte, Italy: Roberto Zanetti (PI), Stefano Rosso (Data Manager), Carlotta Sacerdote (Coordinator); University of California, Irvine: Hoda Anton-Culver (PI), Nancy Leighton (Coordinator), Maureen Gildea (Data Manager); University of Michigan, Ann Arbor: Stephen B. Gruber (PI), Joe Bonner (Data Manager), Joanne Jeter (Coordinator); New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, Trenton: Judith Klotz (PI), Homer Wilcox (Co-PI), Helen Weiss (Coordinator); University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill: Robert C. Millikan (PI), Nancy Thomas (Co-Investigator), Dianne Mattingly (Coordinator), Jon Player (Laboratory Technician), Chiu-Kit Tse (Data Analyst); University of Pennsylvania: Timothy R. Rebbeck (PI), Peter Kanetsky (Co- Investigator), Amy Walker (Laboratory Technician), Saarene Panossian (Laboratory Technician); Consultants: Harvey Mohrenweiser, University of California, Irvine; Richard Setlow, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY. UV data consultants: Dr Julia Lee Taylor and Dr Sasha Madronich, National Centre for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Edward Ford Building A27, NSW, 2006, Australia

    Anne Kricker, Bruce K. Armstrong, Chris Goumas & Melisa Litchfield

  2. Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA

    Colin B. Begg, Amanda J. Hummer, Klaus Busam & Urvi Mujumdar

  3. Cancer Care Ontario, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Loraine D. Marrett & Beth Theis

  4. University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

    Robert C. Millikan & Nancy Thomas

  5. University of California, Irvine, CA, USA

    Hoda Anton Culver

  6. British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Richard P. Gallagher

  7. Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia

    Terence Dwyer

  8. University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Timothy R. Rebbeck & Peter A. Kanetsky

  9. Women’s College Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Lynn From

  10. Centro per la Prevenzione Oncologia, Torino, Piemonte, Italy

    Roberto Zanetti

  11. University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA

    Marianne Berwick

Authors
  1. Anne Kricker
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  2. Bruce K. Armstrong
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  3. Chris Goumas
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  4. Melisa Litchfield
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  5. Colin B. Begg
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  6. Amanda J. Hummer
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  7. Loraine D. Marrett
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  8. Beth Theis
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  9. Robert C. Millikan
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  10. Nancy Thomas
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  11. Hoda Anton Culver
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  12. Richard P. Gallagher
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  13. Terence Dwyer
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  14. Timothy R. Rebbeck
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  15. Peter A. Kanetsky
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  16. Klaus Busam
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  17. Lynn From
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  18. Urvi Mujumdar
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  19. Roberto Zanetti
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  20. Marianne Berwick
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for the GEM Study Group

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Anne Kricker.

Additional information

Financial support: National Cancer Institute, Awards CA83180, CA098438, CA46592 and CA16086. Bruce K. Armstrong is also supported by a University of Sydney Medical Foundation Program Grant. Richard P. Gallagher is supported by a Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research Grant.

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Kricker, A., Armstrong, B.K., Goumas, C. et al. Ambient UV, personal sun exposure and risk of multiple primary melanomas. Cancer Causes Control 18, 295–304 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-006-0091-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-006-0091-x

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