The DOI matches its Crossref record; 60 of the 60 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Childhood sun exposure as a risk factor for melanoma: a systematic review of epidemiologic studies
Abstract
Objective To review the evidence that childhood is a period of particular susceptibility to the carcinogenic effects of solar radiation. Methods Studies were identified through searches of computerized bibliographic databases and article reference lists. Eligible studies were those that reported risks of melanoma associated with sun exposure during two or more age-periods. Results The measurement of childhood sun exposure varied across studies, preventing formal meta-analysis for most measures. We found that the way in which sun exposure was measured led to strikingly different conclusions regarding the association between age-specific sun exposure and risk of melanoma. Ecological studies assessing ambient sun exposure consistently reported lower risks of melanoma among people who resided in a low ultraviolet (UV) environment in childhood compared with those who resided in a high UV environment. In contrast, case-control studies differed widely in their findings, and no consistent associations with childhood sun exposure were observed. Conclusions Ecological studies provided better-quality evidence than case-control studies for examining the effects of exposure to sunlight during specific age periods. Exposure to high levels of sunlight in childhood is a strong determinant of melanoma risk, but sun exposure in adulthood also plays a role.
Overview
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Verification
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
In the citing paper
“It has long been known that sun exposure in childhood is strongly associated with risk of melanoma [242], but the relative causative contributions of UV-A and UV-B radiation are unknown.”
In the citing paper
“Melanoma and SCC have different associations with UV-radiation; SCC is strongly associated with accumulated lifetime sun exposure [241], whilst an intermittent pattern of exposure, and exposure in childhood, are more important for the development of melanoma [242, 243].”
Citations
Cites
Number of melanocytic nevi as a major risk factor for malignant melanoma
Holly, E. A., Kelly, J. W., Shpall, S. N., & Chiu, S.-H. (1987) · Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology · doi:10.1016/s0190-9622(87)70230-8 · Cited by 500
Statistical methods in cancer research. Volume IV. Descriptive epidemiology.
Estève, J., Benhamou, E., & Raymond, L. (1994) · PubMed · Cited by 447
The Danish case‐control study of cutaneous malignant melanoma. II. Importance of UV‐light exposure
Østerlind, A., Tucker, M. A., Stone, B. J., & Jensen, O. M. (1988) · International Journal of Cancer · doi:10.1002/ijc.2910420303 · Cited by 356
Holman, C. D. J., & Armstrong, B. K. (1984) · JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute · doi:10.1093/jnci/73.1.75 · Cited by 322
Weinstock, M. A., Colditz, G. A., Willett, W. C., Stampfer, M. J., Bronstein, B. A., Mihm, M. C., & Speizer, F. E. (1989) · PEDIATRICS · doi:10.1542/peds.84.2.199 · Cited by 313
How Are Children Different from Adults?
Bearer, C. F. (1995) · Environmental Health Perspectives · doi:10.1289/ehp.95103s67 · Cited by 304
Statistical Methods in Meta-Analysis
Petitti, D. B. (1999) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195133646.003.07 · Cited by 289
Elwood, M., Gallagher, R. P., Hill, G. B., Spinelli, J. J., Pearson, J. C. G., & Threlfall, W. J. (1984) · BMJ · doi:10.1136/bmj.288.6411.99 · Cited by 212
Sun Exposure Habits in Patients with Cutaneous Melanoma: A Case Control Study
Lew, R., Sober, A. J., Cook, N. R., Marvell, R., & Fitzpatrick, T. B. (1983) · The Journal of Dermatologic Surgery and Oncology · doi:10.1111/j.1524-4725.1983.tb01051.x · Cited by 198
THE ASSOCIATION OF CUTANEOUS MALIGNANT MELANOMA WITH THE USE OF SUNBEDS AND SUNLAMPS
Walter, S. D., Marrett, L. D., From, L., Hertzman, C., Shannon, H. S., & Roy, P. D. (1990) · American Journal of Epidemiology · doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a115493 · Cited by 198
Cancer in migrants to Australia: extending the descriptive epidemiological data.
McMichael, A. J., & Giles, G. G. (1988) · PubMed · Cited by 196
MALIGNANT MELANOMA AND EXPOSURE TO FLUORESCENT LIGHTING AT WORK
Stern, R., Beral, V., & Evans, S. (1982) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(82)91257-0 · Cited by 185
Holly, E. A., Aston, D. A., Cress, R. D., Ahn, D. K., & Kristiansen, J. J. (1995) · American Journal of Epidemiology · doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a117359 · Cited by 181
Epidemiology of pre‐invasive and invasive malignant melanoma in Western Australia
Holman, C. D. J., Mulroney, C. D., & Armstrong, B. K. (1980) · International Journal of Cancer · doi:10.1002/ijc.2910250303 · Cited by 168
Mortality from Melanoma in Migrants to Australia: Variation by Age at Arrival and Duration of Stay
Khlat, M., Vail, A., Parkin, M., & Green, A. C. (1992) · American Journal of Epidemiology · doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a116210 · Cited by 165
Self-citationElwood, M., Whitehead, S. M., DAVISON, J., Stewart, M., & Galt, M. (1990) · International Journal of Epidemiology · doi:10.1093/ije/19.4.801 · Cited by 161
Risk Factors for Cutaneous Melanoma in Queensland
Green, A. C., Bain, C., McLennan, R., & Siskind, V. (1986) · Recent results in cancer research/Recent Results in Cancer Research · doi:10.1007/978-3-642-82641-2_6 · Cited by 160
Self-citationAN INQUIRY INTO THE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF MELANOMA
Graham, S., Marshall, J. R., Haughey, B. P., Stoll, H. L., Zielezny, M. A., Brasure, J., & West, D. W. (1985) · American Journal of Epidemiology · doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a114140 · Cited by 159
Case-Control Study of Malignant Melanoma in Washington State
White, E., Kirkpatrick, C. S., & Lee, J. A. H. (1994) · American Journal of Epidemiology · doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a117092 · Cited by 152
Dubin, N., Moseson, M., & Pasternack, B. S. (1986) · Recent results in cancer research/Recent Results in Cancer Research · doi:10.1007/978-3-642-82641-2_5 · Cited by 144
Outdoor ultraviolet exposure of children and adolescents
Diffey, B. L., Gibson, C., Haylock, R., & McKinlay, A. F. (1996) · British Journal of Dermatology · doi:10.1046/j.1365-2133.1996.d01-896.x · Cited by 142
Sunburn, suntan and the risk of cutaneous malignant melanoma – The Western Canada Melanoma Study
Elwood, M., Gallagher, R. P., Davison, J., & Hill, G. B. (1985) · British Journal of Cancer · doi:10.1038/bjc.1985.77 · Cited by 141
Reubi, J. C., & Waser, B. (1996) · International Journal of Cancer · doi:10.1002/(sici)1097-0215(19960904)67:5 · Cited by 139
R�denas, J. M., Delgado-Rodr�guez, M., Herranz, M. T., Tercedor, J., & Serrano, S. (1996) · Cancer Causes and Control · doi:10.1007/bf00051303 · Cited by 137
Cutaneous melanoma and sunburns in childhood in a Southern European population
Zanetti, R., Franceschi, S., Rosso, S., Colonna, S., & Bidoli, E. (1992) · European Journal of Cancer · doi:10.1016/0959-8049(92)90480-p · Cited by 134
A theory of site distribution of melanomas: Queensland, Australia
Green, A. C. (1992) · Cancer Causes & Control · doi:10.1007/bf00052747 · Cited by 106
Self-citationReproducibility of reported measurements of sun exposure in a case-control study.
English, D. R., Armstrong, B. K., & Kricker, A. (1998) · PubMed · Cited by 104
Nelemans, P. J., Groenendal, H., Kiemeney, L. A. L. M., Rampen, F. H. J., Ruiter, D. J., & Verbeek, A. L. M. (1993) · Environmental Health Perspectives · doi:10.1289/ehp.93101252 · Cited by 103
Risk factors for cutaneous malignant melanoma in a northern italian population
Cristofolini, M., Tasin, L., Zumiani, G., Franceschi, S., Talamini, R., Piscioli, F., & Vecchia, C. L. (1987) · International Journal of Cancer · doi:10.1002/ijc.2910390205 · Cited by 99
Whiteman, D. C., & Green, A. C. (1994) · Cancer Causes & Control · doi:10.1007/bf01831385 · Cited by 99
Self-citationSwerdlow, A. J., Marmot, M. G., Grulich, A., & Head, J. A. (1995) · British Journal of Cancer · doi:10.1038/bjc.1995.507 · Cited by 96
MALIGNANT MELANOMA AND EXPOSURE TO FLUORESCENT LIGHTING AT WORK
Beral, V., Shaw, H. M., Evans, S., & Milton, G. W. (1982) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(82)90270-7 · Cited by 94
Paffenbarger, R. S., Wing, A. L., & Hyde, R. T. (1978) · JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute · doi:10.1093/jnci/60.1.89 · Cited by 93
At what age do sunburn episodes play a crucial role for the development of malignant melanoma
Westerdahl, J., Olsson, H. L., & Ingvar, C. (1994) · European Journal of Cancer · doi:10.1016/0959-8049(94)00337-5 · Cited by 88
Malignant melanoma risk by nativity, place of residence at diagnosis, and age at migration
Mack, T. M., & Floderus, B. (1991) · Cancer Causes & Control · doi:10.1007/bf00054301 · Cited by 84
Outdoor ultraviolet exposure of children and adolescents
Diffey, B. L., Gibson, C., Haylock, R., et al. (1996) · British Journal of Dermatology · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2133.1996.tb07937.x · Cited by 84
Cancer incidence in Jewish migrants to Israel, 1961-1981.
Steinitz, R., Dm, P., Jl, Y., Ca, B., & Katz, L. (1989) · PubMed · Cited by 72
Migration and death from malignant melanoma
Cooke, K. R., & Fraser, J. D. (1985) · International Journal of Cancer · doi:10.1002/ijc.2910360208 · Cited by 69
Melanoma risk and residence in sunny areas
for the EORTC Melanoma Co-operative Group, Autier, P., Doré, J., Gefeller, O., Cesarini, J.-P., Lejeune, F. J., Kölmel, K. F., Liénard, D., & Kleeberg, U. R. (1997) · British Journal of Cancer · doi:10.1038/bjc.1997.588 · Cited by 68
Hepatopathy following irradiation and adriamycin
Kun, L. E., & Camitta, B. M. (1978) · Cancer · doi:10.1002/1097-0142(197807)42:1 · Cited by 66
Role of Sun Exposure in the Etiology of Malignant Melanoma: Epidemiologic Inference2
Movshovitz, M., & Modan, B. (1973) · JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute · doi:10.1093/jnci/51.3.777 · Cited by 65
Berwick, M., & Chen, Y. (1995) · American Journal of Epidemiology · doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a117367 · Cited by 63
Special Susceptibility of the Child to Certain Radiation-Induced Cancers
Miller, R. W. (1995) · Environmental Health Perspectives · doi:10.1289/ehp.95103s641 · Cited by 58
Cancer Mortality among North African Migrants in France
Bouchardy, C., Parkin, D. M., Wanner, P., & Khlat, M. (1996) · International Journal of Epidemiology · doi:10.1093/ije/25.1.5 · Cited by 57
Cancer in Jewish migrants to Israel
Parkin, D. M., Steinitz, R., Khlat, M., Kaldor, J. M., Katz, L., & Young, J. (1990) · International Journal of Cancer · doi:10.1002/ijc.2910450407 · Cited by 53
Sorahan, T., & Grimley, R. P. (1985) · British Journal of Cancer · doi:10.1038/bjc.1985.255 · Cited by 51
Sunburn and melanoma: how strong is the evidence?
Marks, R., & Whiteman, D. C. (1994) · BMJ · doi:10.1136/bmj.308.6921.75 · Cited by 51
Self-citationMalignant melanoma of the skin in Hawaii, 1960–1977
Hinds, M. W., & Kolonel, L. N. (1980) · Cancer · doi:10.1002/1097-0142(19800215)45:4 · Cited by 48
The incidence of melanocytic naevi in adolescent children in Queensland, Australia
Green, A. C., Siskind, V., & GREEN, L. (1995) · Melanoma Research · doi:10.1097/00008390-199506000-00003 · Cited by 45
Self-citationElwood, M., & Diffey, B. L. (1993) · PubMed · Cited by 43
Cancer incidence patterns (1972-91) among migrants from the Soviet Union to Israel
Iscovich, J., & Howe, G. R. (1998) · Cancer Causes & Control · doi:10.1023/a:1008893102428 · Cited by 41
The confounding influence of sun exposure in melanoma
Bl, D., & Gies, H. P. (1998) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(05)79381-8 · Cited by 37
The “Over-exposed” Control Group
Wynder, E. L., & Stellman, S. D. (1992) · American Journal of Epidemiology · doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a116312 · Cited by 33
Cancer incidence in England and Wales and New Zealand and in migrants between the two countries
Swerdlow, A. J., Cooke, K. R., Skegg, D. C. G., & Wilkinson, J. (1995) · British Journal of Cancer · doi:10.1038/bjc.1995.309 · Cited by 32
Mortality from Malignant Melanoma in Australia: Effects due to Country of Birth
Dobson, A. J., & Leeder, S. (1982) · International Journal of Epidemiology · doi:10.1093/ije/11.3.207 · Cited by 27
Cancer incidence in migrants to New South Wales from England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland
McCredie, M. R. E., Coates, M., & Ford, J. M. (1990) · British Journal of Cancer · doi:10.1038/bjc.1990.423 · Cited by 24
Cancer incidence in European migrants to New South Wales
McCredie, M. R. E., Coates, M., & Ford, J. M. (1990) · Annals of Oncology · doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.annonc.a057725 · Cited by 19
Nevi and migration within the United States and Canada: a population-based cross-sectional study
Dennis, L. K., White, E., McKnight, B., Kristal, A. R., Lee, J. A. H., & Odland, P. B. (1996) · Cancer Causes & Control · doi:10.1007/bf00052673 · Cited by 17
Susceptibility to Carcinogenic Effect of Irradiation Relationship to Age at Time of Exposure
Ebbesen, P., Villadsen, J. H., Langkjer, S. T., & Bjerring, P. (1984) · Acta Radiologica Oncology · doi:10.3109/02841868409136002 · Cited by 6
Melanoma and ultraviolet radiation
Elwood, J. M. (1992) · Clinics in Dermatology · doi:10.1016/0738-081x(92)90056-5
Research works printed but not linked: 1
- Katz L, Ben-Tuvia S, Steintiz R (1982) Malignant melanoma of the skin in Israel: effect of migration. In: Magnus K, ed. Trends in Cancer Incidence, Causes and Practical Implications. New York: Hemisphere, pp. 419-426.
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Distinct Sets of Genetic Alterations in Melanoma
Curtin, J. A., Fridlyand, J., Kageshita, T., Patel, H. N., Busam, K. J., Kutzner, H., Cho, K.-H., Aiba, S., Bröcker, E.-B., LeBoit, P. E., et al. (2005) · New England Journal of Medicine · doi:10.1056/nejmoa050092 · Cited by 2,747
Toxic effects of ultraviolet radiation on the skin
Matsumura, Y., & Ananthaswamy, H. N. (2004) · Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology · doi:10.1016/j.taap.2003.08.019 · Cited by 1,270
Review: Ultraviolet radiation and skin cancer
Narayanan, D. L., Saladi, R. N., & FOX, J. L. (2010) · International Journal of Dermatology · doi:10.1111/j.1365-4632.2010.04474.x · Cited by 1,269
Meta-analysis of risk factors for cutaneous melanoma: II. Sun exposure
Gandini, S., Sera, F., Cattaruzza, M. S., Pasquini, P., Picconi, O., Boyle, P., & Melchi, C. F. (2005) · European Journal of Cancer · doi:10.1016/j.ejca.2004.10.016 · Cited by 1,266
The Epidemiology of Skin Cancer
Gloster, H. M., & Brodland, D. G. (1996) · Dermatologic Surgery · doi:10.1111/j.1524-4725.1996.tb00312.x · Cited by 1,265
Metadata
- Authors
- Whiteman, D. C., Whiteman, C. A., & Green, A. C.
- Affiliations
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Whiteman, David C.
- Venue
- Cancer Causes & Control
- Published
- 2001-01
- Volume
- 12
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 69-82
- ISSN
- 0957-5243 (ISSN-L)
- 1573-7225
- OpenAlex
- W1270711560
- Cited by
- 633
- References
- 58
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 17 · 2021: 24 · 2020: 25 · 2019: 23 · 2018: 25 · 2017: 20 · 2016: 24 · 2015: 31 · 2014: 31 · 2013: 30 · 2012: 29
- FWCI
- 2.72
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- Locations
- Cancer Causes & Control (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cutaneous Melanoma Detection and Management
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Dermatology › Skin Protection and Aging
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › melanin and skin pigmentation
- Keywords
- childhood sun exposure, melanoma risk, ultraviolet radiation, ecological study, case-control study
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Age Factors, Child, Emigration and Immigration, Environmental Exposure, Female, Humans, Male, Melanoma, Residence Characteristics, Risk Factors, Skin Neoplasms, Sunlight, Epidemiologic Research Design, Incidence, Age Distribution
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
