Why sunburns as a kid and sunscreen later might both matter for skin cancer
Patterns of Ultraviolet Radiation Exposure and Skin Cancer Risk: the E3N-SunExp Study
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
This study looked at how different ways of getting sun affect three kinds of skin cancer in women. Getting burned badly before age 25 raises risk for all three. Playing in the sun for fun (like on weekends) is linked to one type (BCC), while years of sun exposure are linked to another (SCC). Using...
No biological mechanisms were identified in this study. This may be an epidemiological, observational, or survey-based study that reports associations rather than proposing causal biological pathways.
Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses
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Max 72Case-Control Studies
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Evidence Score
Researchers compare people who have a condition (cases) with similar people who do not (controls), looking back in time for differences in exposure. Useful but more prone to bias.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
This study looked at how different ways of getting sun affect three kinds of skin cancer in women. Getting burned badly before age 25 raises risk for all three. Playing in the sun for fun (like on weekends) is linked to one type (BCC), while years of sun exposure are linked to another (SCC). Using...
No biological mechanisms were identified in this study. This may be an epidemiological, observational, or survey-based study that reports associations rather than proposing causal biological pathways.
Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses
Max 100Randomized Controlled Trials
Max 90Cohort Studies
Max 72Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional Studies
Max 44Case Reports & Case Series
Max 30Expert Opinion & Narrative Reviews
Max 555 / 58
Evidence Score
Researchers compare people who have a condition (cases) with similar people who do not (controls), looking back in time for differences in exposure. Useful but more prone to bias.
Publication
Authors
Savoye I, Olsen CM, Whiteman DC, Bijon A, Wald L, Dartois L, Clavel-Chapelon F, Boutron-Ruault MC, Kvaskoff M
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Claims (7)
Chronic ultraviolet radiation exposure is the primary etiological factor in the development of non-melanoma skin cancers, specifically basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, which frequently occur on sun-exposed facial regions and can result in significant structural disfigurement upon surgical excision.
Being in the sun a lot over your whole life — not just on vacations — makes you much more likely to get SCC, a type of skin cancer.
People who reapply sunscreen all the time tend to get more skin cancer — probably because they stay in the sun longer, thinking they’re protected.
Spending lots of time in the sun on vacations or weekends is more likely to cause BCC than being outside during daily routines like walking to work.
Getting badly sunburned many times before age 25 makes it much more likely for women to get any kind of skin cancer later in life.