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Advice on sun protection and skin cancer risks has had an effect, although more people might listen to irrefutable evidence.
A team of Norwegian researchers recently published the largest study to date on sunburn patterns and their associations with skin cancer risk.
They based this on a long term, national cancer study, established in 1991. Questionnaires were first sent in that year, then every five, or six years, with a complete data analysis performed throughout 2021.
Results from around 170,000 participants were accepted. They included information from before the study began, giving an opportunity to consider sunburn and skin cancer outcomes from childhood, to adulthood.
Available Information
Participants reported vacations involving sunbathing, extensive local exposure, or use of indoor tanning. The annual frequency of sunburns and other pigmentation were included, for childhood, adolescence and adulthood.
Information on cancer diagnoses, related medical care and death were obtained. Through linkage to the Cancer Registry of Norway, using the unique personal identification numbers Norwegian residents have.
Five patterns of lifetime sunburn were evident in the data and in line with behavior previously observed in people across Europe. Variations in participant age and length of follow up were factored in.
A Clear Outcome
With minor skin cancers not always reported, the research focused on melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Higher sunburn frequencies in childhood and throughout life were associated with an increase in both.
The levels of increase were directly proportional to the extent of high sun exposure and sunburn, particularly in childhood. Adult exposure was still a serious and evident risk, just not quite to the same extent.
No significant diversity was found between melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma, with both as likely to increase due to sunburn.
The researchers resisted putting out a magic number, suggesting that melanoma is two, or three times more likely, because of sunburn, or high sun exposure. Each individual’s life and outcome are unique.
What they did see was an inescapable conclusion that the frequency of sunburn throughout life has a detrimental effect. The belief in not stopping sun exposure because you are too late does not hold water.
We all enjoy the sun, which gives us a feeling of wellbeing but skin cancer does not. The largest scale survey to date confirmed the link beyond doubt.
Our clinic offers specialist skin cancer treatment should you need this but we would rather you didn’t. Sunscreen, protective clothing and time in the shade may seem a bit boring but are as essential as avoiding other types of radiation.