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Review
. 2005 Jan;31(1):76-82.
doi: 10.1111/j.1524-4725.2005.31013.

Skin cancer and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: examining the link

Shasa Hu  1 , Daniel G Federman, Fangchao Ma, Robert S Kirsner
Affiliations
Review

Skin cancer and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: examining the link

Shasa Hu et al. Dermatol Surg. 2005 Jan.

Abstract

Background: The incidence rates of melanoma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) have increased substantially worldwide over the past several decades. It has been hypothesized that ultraviolet light exposure through sunlight may be a common environmental risk factor shared by both skin cancer and NHL.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to better understand the association between skin cancer and NHL and to evaluate its implication in clinical practice.

Methods: We reviewed the current literature on the link between the two malignancies and on the role of ultraviolet light in the development of NHL. Publications were selected using a PUBMED search with the terms "non-Hodgkin's lymphoma" and "skin cancer." Epidemiologic studies in English and published after 1995 were the focus.

Conclusions: Large population-based studies support an increased risk of subsequent NHL among patients with skin cancers (both melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancers) and a risk of skin cancer development in patients with NHL, although support for a direct relationship between ultraviolet light and the incidence of NHL is weak and inconsistent. Given their increased risk of developing skin cancers, patients with a history of NHL may benefit from a full-body examination during their visits.

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