UV Exposure Combats Prostate Cancer

[Guest guest]

LONDON (Reuters Health) Aug 29 - Exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR)

appears to be protective against prostate cancer.

Dr. C. Strange and colleagues from Keele University, in

Staffordshire, note in the August 25th issue of The Lancet that " a

positive association between latitude and prostate cancer mortality has

been interpreted to indicate that UVR protects against development of

this cancer. "

....

Cases had a cumulative lifetime exposure to UVR of 355 weeks, compared

with 393 weeks for controls (p = 0.006). A history of childhood sunburn,

regular foreign holidays, and sunbathing score were all found to be

protective against prostate cancer, with odds ratios of 0.18, 0.41, and

0.83, respectively. " Many, rather than few, childhood sunburn events

increased this effect. "

....

" The mechanism for the association between UVR and prostate cancer is

unclear, though blood-borne factors, whose concentration is affected by

UVR, could cause tumors to remain latent rather than progress to

malignancy, " Dr. Strange and colleagues comment. " Thus, extent of

exposure could explain why subclinical, rather than malignant, prostate

disease is very common in old men. "

--

This is another case where the moral determination that some factor is

absolutely good or absolutely evil may lead one astray. The behaviors

protective against prostate cancer are the ones implicated in

predisposition to melanoma. Perhaps there is an optimal exposure or

perhaps the blood-borne factor can be stimulated in other ways. LEF has

suggested that the putative blood-borne factor is a form of vitamin D

and is flogging that supplement. The pros consider that determination

premature.

Bob Cruder - Denver, Colorado, USA

---------------------

Why do you think they call it a papal bull?