Journal of Clinical Epidemiology
Volume 48, Issue 11 , Pages 1331-1342 , November 1995

An addition to the controversy on sunlight exposure and melanoma risk: A meta-analytical approach

  • P.J. Nelemans

      Affiliations

    • Department of Epidemiology, University of Limburg, Maastricht, The Netherlands
    • ,
  • F.H.J. Rampen

      Affiliations

    • Department of Dermatology, Sint Anna Hospital, Oss, The Netherlands
    • ,
  • D.J. Ruiter

      Affiliations

    • Department of Pathology, University of Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
    • ,
  • A.L.M. Verbeek

      Affiliations

    • Department of Medical Informatics and Epidemiology, University of Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

,Revised 30 January 1995

References 

  1. Klepp O, Magnus K. Some environmental and bodily characteristics of melanoma patients. A casecontrol study. Int J Cancer. 1979;23:482–486
  2. Adam SA, Sheaves JK, Wright NH, Mosser G, Harris RW, Vessey MP. A case-control study of the possible association between oral contraceptives and malignant melanoma. Br J Cancer. 1981;44:45–50
  3. Beral V, Shaw H, Evans S, Milton G. Malignant melanoma and exposure to fluorescent lighting at work. Lancet. 1982;ii:290–293
  4. MacKie RM, Aitchison T. Severe sunburn and subsequent risk of primary cutaneous malignant melanoma in Scotland. Br J Cancer. 1982;46:955–960
  5. Lew RA, Sober AJ, Cook N, Marvell R, Fitzpatrick TB. Sun exposure habits in patients with cutaneous melanoma: A case control study. J Dermatol Surg Oncol. 1983;9:981–986
  6. Rigel DS, Friedman RJ, Levenstein MJ, Greenwald DI. Relationship of fluorescent lights to malignant melanoma: Another view. J Dermatol Surg Oncol. 1983;9:836–838
  7. Green A. Sun exposure and the risk of melanoma. Aust J Dermatol. 1984;25:99–102
  8. Elwood JM, Gallagher RP, Hill GB, Pearson JCG. Cutaneous melanoma in relation to intermittent and constant sun exposure: The Western Canada Melanoma Study. Int J Cancer. 1985;35:427–433
  9. Graham S, Marshall J, Haughey B. An inquiry into the epidemiology of melanoma. Am J Epidemiol. 1985;122:606–619
  10. Green A, Siskind V, Bain C, Alexander J. Sunburn and malignant melanoma. Br J Cancer. 1985;51:393–397
  11. Sorahan T, Grimley RP. The aetiological significance of sunlight and fluorescent lighting in malignant melanoma: A case-control study. Br J Cancer. 1985;52:765–769
  12. Elwood JM, Williamson C, Stapleton PJ. Malignant melanoma in relation to moles, pigmentation, and exposure to fluorescent and other lighting sources. Br J Cancer. 1986;53:65–74
  13. Green A, Bain C, McLennan R, Siskind V. Risk factors for cutaneous melanoma in Queensland. In:  Gallagher RP editors. Epidemiology of Malignant Melanoma. Heidelberg, Germany: Springer-Verlag; 1986;p. 76–97
  14. Holman CDJ, Armstrong BK, Heenan PJ. Relationship of cutaneous malignant melanoma to individual sunlight-exposure habits. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1986;76:403–414
  15. Bell CMJ, Jenkinson CM, Murrells TJ, Skeet RG, Everall JD. Aetiological factors in cutaneous malignant melanomas seen at a UK skin clinic. J Epidemiol Comm Health. 1987;41:306–311
  16. Cristofilini M, Franceschi S, Tasin L, et al.  Risk factors for cutaneous malignant melanoma in a northern Italian population. Int J Cancer. 1987;39:150–154
  17. Holly EA, Kelly JW, Shpall SN, Chiu SH. Number of melanocytic nevi as a major risk factor for malignant melanoma. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1987;17:459–468
  18. Østerlind A, Tucker MA, Stone BJ, Jensen OM. The Danish case-control study of cutaneous malignant melanoma. II. Importance of UV-light exposure. Int J Cancer. 1988;42:319–324
  19. Swerdlow AJ, English JSC, MacKie RM, et al.  Fluorescent lights, ultraviolet lamps, and risk of cutaneous melanoma. Br Med J. 1988;297:647–650
  20. Dubin N, Moseson M, Pasternack BS. Sun exposure and malignant melanoma among susceptible individuals. Environ Health Persp. 1989;81:139–151
  21. Garbe C, Kruger S, Stadier R, Guggenmoos-Holzmann I, Orfanos CE. Markers and relative risk in a German population for developing malignant melanoma. Int J Dermatol. 1989;28:517–523
  22. Weinstock MA, Colditz GA, Willett WC, et al.  Nonfamilial cutaneous melanoma incidence in women associated with sun exposure before 20 years of age. Pediatrics. 1989;84:199–204
  23. Beitner H, Norell SE, Ringborg U, Wennersten G, Mattson B. Malignant melanoma: Aetiological importance of individual pigmentation and sun exposure. Br J Dermatol. 1990;122:43–51
  24. Grob JJ, Gouvernet J, Aymar D, et al.  Count of benign melanocytic nevi as a major indicator of risk for nonfamilial nodular and superficial spreading melanoma. Cancer. 1990;66:387–395
  25. Walter SD, Marrett LD, From L, Hertzman C, Shannon HS, Roy P. The association of cutaneous malignant melanoma with the use of sunbeds and sunlamps. Am J Epidemiol. 1990;31:232–243
  26. Lee JAH, Strickland D. Malignant melanoma: Social status and outdoor work. Br J Cancer. 1980;41:757–763
  27. Crombie IK. Distribution of malignant melanoma on the body surface. Br J Cancer. 1981;43:842–849
  28. Fears TR, Scotto J, Schneidermann MA. Mathematical models of age and ultraviolet effects on the incidence of skin cancer among whites in the United States. Am J Epidemiol. 1977;105:420–427
  29. Armstrong BK. Epidemiology of malignant melanoma: Intermittent or total accumulated exposure to the sun?. J Dermatol Surg Oncol. 1988;14:835–849
  30. Evans RD, Kopf AW, Lew RA, Rigel DS, Bart RS, Friedman RJ, et al. Risk factors for the development of malignant melanoma. I. Review of casecontrol studies. J Dermatol Surg Oncol. 1988;14:393–408
  31. Kleeberg UR. Etiology of melanoma. Onkologie. 1988;11:254–259
  32. Longstreth J. Cutaneous malignant melanoma and ultraviolet radiation: A review. Cancer Metastasis Rev. 1988;7:321–333
  33. Koh HK, Kligler BE, Lew RA. Sunlight and cutaneous malignant melanoma: Evidence for and against causation. Photochem Photobiol. 1990;51:765–779
  34. Fleiss JL, Gross AJ. Meta-analysis in epidemiology, with special reference to studies of the association between exposure to environmental tobacco smoke and lung cancer: A critique. J Clin Epidemiol. 1991;44:127–139
  35. Jenicek M. Meta-analysis in medicine. Where we are and where we want to go. J Clin Epidemiol. 1989;42:35–44
  36. Light RJ, Pillemer DB. In: 3rd Ed. Summing up: The Science of Reviewing Research. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press; 1984;
  37. McGovern VJ, Cochran AJ, van der Esch EP, Little JH, MacLennan R. The classification of malignant melanoma, its histological reporting and registration: A revision of the 1972 Sydney classification. Pathology. 1986;18:12–21
  38. Holman CDJ, Armstrong BK. Cutaneous malignant melanoma and indicators of total accumulated exposure to the sun: An analysis separating histogenetic types. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1984;73:75–82
  39. Rothman KJ. In: 3rd Ed. Modern Epidemiology. Boston, Massachusetts: Little, Brown and Company; 1986;
  40. Movshovitz M, Modan B. Role of sun exposure in the etiology of malignant melanoma: Epidemiologic influence. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1973;51:777–779
  41. Cooke K, Fraser J. Migration and death from malignant melanoma. Int J Cancer. 1985;36:175–178
  42. Swerdlow AJ. Incidence of malignant melanoma in England and Wales and its relationship to sunshine. Br Med J. 1979;2:1324–1327
  43. Rampen FHJ, Fleuren E. Melanoma of the skin is not caused by ultraviolet radiation but by a chemical xenobiotic. Med Hypotheses. 1987;22:341–346
  44. Kopec JA, Esdaile JM. Bias in case-control studies. A review. J Epidemiol Comm Health. 1990;44:179–186
  45. Elwood JM, Gallagher RP, Hill GB, Spinelli JJ, Pearson JCG. Pigmentation and skin reaction to sun as risk factors for cutaneous melanoma: The Western Canada Melanoma Study. Br Med J. 1984;288:99–102
  46. Swerdlow AJ, English J, MacKie RM, et al.  Benign melanocytic naevi as a risk factor for malignant melanoma. Br Med J. 1986;292:1555–1559
  47. Rampen FHJ. Nevocytic nevi and skin complexion. Dermatologica. 1988;176:111–114
  48. Rhodes AR, Weinstock MA, Fitzpatrick TB, Mihm MC, Sober AJ. Risk factors for cutaneous melanoma. A practical method for recognizing predisposed individuals. JAMA. 1987;258:3146–3154
  49. Knottnerus JA. Subject selection in hospital-based case-control studies. J Chron Dis. 1987;40:183–185
  50. Greenland S. Quantitative methods in the review of epidemiologic literature. Epidemiol Rev. 1987;9:1–30
  51. Easterbrook PJ, Berlin JA, Gopalan R, Matthews DR. Publication bias in clinical research. Lancet. 1991;337:867–872
  52. Elwood JM, Gallagher RP, Davison J, Hill GB. Sunburn, suntan and the risk of cutaneous malignant melanoma—the Western Canada Melanoma Study. Br J Cancer. 1985;51:543–549

PII: 0895-4356(95)00032-1

Journal of Clinical Epidemiology
Volume 48, Issue 11 , Pages 1331-1342 , November 1995

Article Tools