Sun exposure improves skin cancer survival rates as well as reducing risk of lymph gland cancers

The UV radiation is sunlight has long been known to be a human carcinogen but a new study has determined that exposure to sunlight may reduce the risk of lymph gland cancer. Researchers stress that this does not mean people should spend more time in the sun as it is also a risk factor for melanomas or skin cancer. Surprisingly, researchers have found that survival rates of melanoma patients may be improved by increasing sun exposure. Researchers believe that this observation may be due to the beneficial effect of vitamin D gained from sun exposure or solar elastosis where the sun breaks downs skin collagen. Another study showed a relationship between increased sun exposure and reduced incidence of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Source: summary of medical news story as reported by AJC

Related Disease Topics:

• Lymph gland cancer
• Melanoma
• Skin cancer
• Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

Article Source Details

About: Sun exposure improves skin cancer survival rates as well as reducing risk of lymph gland cancers

Date: 1 February 2005

Source: AJC

Author: Randolph E. Schmid

URL: http://www.ajc.com/health/content/health/0205/02suncancer.html

Related Medical Topics

This summary article refers to the following medical categories:

• Cancer
• Sunburn
• Research
• Research and lymph gland cancer
• Research and melanoma
• Research and skin cancer
• Research and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
• Cause of lymph gland cancer
• Cause of melanoma
• Cause of skin cancer
• Cause of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
• Survival
• Survival and lymph gland cancer
• Survival and melanoma
• Survival and skin cancer
• Survival and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
• Risk and lymph gland cancer
• Risk and melanoma
• Risk and skin cancer
• Risk and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

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