Melanoma and other Skin Cancers: A Contrast in Solar Radiation Carcinogenesis

Summary

Exposure to sunlight of the poorly pigmented skin of people of European descent leads to neoplastic change in both the cells that give rise to the squamous cell and basal cell carcinomas, to the lentigo maligna melanomas, and to the nodular and superficial spreading melanomas. However, the dose relationships, timing, and precursor lesions are quite different. Thus an opportunity for studying carcinogenesis in humans where different cell types are exposed to the same carcinogen.