Sun exposure and melanomas on sun-shielded and sun-exposed body areas.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review of epidemiological literature without systematic review methodology
PubMed 25207377 · doi:10.1007/978-1-4939-0437-2_21
What was done
The authors conducted a narrative review comparing the epidemiological characteristics of melanomas developing on sun-exposed versus sun-shielded body sites (including acral lentiginous, mucosal, and uveal melanomas). They evaluated relationships with geographic latitude, race/ethnicity, host factors, and temporal incidence trends based on published literature.
What was found
The abstract reports that malignant melanoma accounts for approximately 4% of all malignancies in Europe and Northern America and about 11% in Australia and New Zealand. Around 10% of primary melanomas occur on sun-shielded anatomical sites, including mucosal tissue (oral cavity, nasal sinuses, genital tract, rectum), uveal tissue, and acral sites. Specific quantitative risk estimates or comparative statistical analyses were not provided in the abstract.
Why it matters
Understanding the proportion and distinct epidemiology of non-sun-exposed melanomas highlights that a meaningful fraction of melanomas arise through pathways independent of direct ultraviolet radiation exposure.
Limits
The abstract describes a narrative review without documented systematic search criteria, quality appraisal, or quantitative meta-analysis. No detailed numerical results, effect sizes, or specific sample sizes are reported in the abstract.
Cited by
- supports A significant number of melanoma cases occur on anatomical sites that do not receive sun exposure, such as the waist, palms, and soles of the feet.