Open AccessSeasonal patterns of skin melanoma incidence in Hawaii.
Author(s) -
M W Hinds,
J Lee,
Laurence N. Kolonel
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
american journal of public health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.284
H-Index - 264
eISSN - 1541-0048
pISSN - 0090-0036
DOI - 10.2105/ajph.71.5.496
Subject(s) - melanoma , incidence (geometry) , head and neck , medicine , dermatology , ultraviolet radiation , sun exposure , demography , surgery , cancer research , chemistry , physics , radiochemistry , optics , sociology
We analyzed the seasonal pattern of diagnosis of malignant melanoma of the skin among Caucasians in Hawaii during 1960-1978. For all cases combined, a significant sine-wave pattern with a summertime peak was found. This pattern was most pronounced for melanoma of head and neck and lower extremities and for persons age 50 and over. These findings support the hypothesis that solar ultraviolet radiation may be a short-term promoter of some malignant melanomas of the skin.