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. 1996 May 25;347(9013):1450-1.
doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(96)91685-2.

Effect of ambient solar ultraviolet radiation on incidence of squamous-cell carcinoma of the eye

R Newton  1 , J Ferlay, G Reeves, V Beral, D M Parkin
Affiliations

Effect of ambient solar ultraviolet radiation on incidence of squamous-cell carcinoma of the eye

R Newton et al. Lancet. .

Abstract

Background: We have investigated the geographic distribution of squamous-cell carcinoma of the eye to assess whether solar ultraviolet light is a risk factor for this disease.

Methods: We used routinely collected population-based cancer incidence data and published measurements of ambient solar ultraviolet light in our analysis.

Findings: The incidence of squamous-cell carcinoma of the eye declined by 49% of each 10 degrees increase in latitude (p < 0.0001), falling from more than 12 cases per million per year in Uganda (latitude 0.3(0)) to less than O.2 per million per year in the UK (latitude > 50(0)). Solar ultraviolet radiation decreases with increasing latitude, and the incidence of squamous-cell carcinoma of the eye decreased by 29% per unit reduction in ultraviolet exposure (p < 0.0001).

Interpretation: Our results are compatible with the hypothesis that exposure to solar ultraviolet light is an important cause of squamous-cell carcinoma of the eye.

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