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A comparison of sunlight exposure in men with prostate cancer and basal cell carcinoma

A comparison of sunlight exposure in men with prostate cancer and basal cell carcinoma Thumbnail


Abstract

Ultraviolet radiation exposure increases basal cell carcinoma (BCC) risk, but may be protective against prostate cancer. We attempted to identify exposure patterns that confer reduced prostate cancer risk without increasing that of BCC. We used a questionnaire to assess exposure in 528 prostate cancer patients and 442 men with basal cell carcinoma, using 365 benign prostatic hypertrophy patients as controls. Skin type 1 (odds ratio (OR)=0.47, 95% CI=0.26-0.86), childhood sunburning (OR=0.38, 95% CI=0.26-0.57), occasional/frequent sunbathing (OR=0.21, 95% CI=0.14-0.31), lifetime weekday (OR=0.85, 95% CI=0.80-0.91) and weekend exposure (OR=0.79, 95% CI=0.73-0.86) were associated with reduced prostate cancer risk. Skin type 1 (OR=4.00, 95% CI=2.16-7.41), childhood sunburning (OR=1.91, 95% CI=1.36-2.68), regular foreign holidays (OR=6.91, 95% CI=5.00-9.55) and weekend (OR=1.17, 95% CI=1.08-1.27) but not weekday exposure were linked with increased BCC risk. Combinations of one or two parameters were associated with a progressive decrease in the ORs for prostate cancer risk (OR=0.54-0.25) with correspondingly increased BCC risk (OR=1.60-2.54). Our data do not define exposure patterns that reduce prostate cancer risk without increasing BCC risk.

Acceptance Date Dec 11, 2006
Publication Date Feb 12, 2007
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Journal British Journal of Cancer
Print ISSN 1532-1827
Publisher Cancer Research UK
Pages 523 -528
DOI https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bjc.6603576
Keywords adult, aged, Aged, 80 and over, Carcinoma, Basal Cell, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Odds Ratio, Prostatic Neoplasms, Risk, Sunlight
Publisher URL https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bjc.6603576

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