Childhood Sunburns Linked to Future Melanoma Risk
Source: Medscape, March 2025
TOPLINE:
In a large cohort study, each additional blistering sunburn before the age of 15 years increased melanoma risk by approximately 3%, and the associated risk was not modified by personal sun sensitivity factors, such as eye and hair color.
METHODOLOGY:
- Researchers analyzed data from 44,021 cancer-free non-Hispanic White participants in the United States Radiologic Technologists (USRT) study.
- Follow-up spanned 342,252 person-years, with 290 self-reported melanoma cases identified.
- Participants reported their history of blistering sunburns before and after the age of 15 years, along with personal sun sensitivity factors and ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure.
TAKEAWAY:
- Each additional blistering sunburn before the age of 15 years was associated with a 3.2% increased risk for melanoma (hazard ratio [HR], 1.032; P = .005), but no significant association was seen after the age of 15 years.
- The association was consistent regardless of eye color, hair color, UV radiation exposure, or time outdoors.
Higher melanoma risk was tied to brown/hazel eye color (HR, 1.040; 95% CI, 1.002-1.079), dark hair color (HR, 1.034; 95% CI, 1.005-1.063), and light skin complexion (HR, 1.037; 95% CI, 1.012-1.063). - Ambient UV exposure and individual sun sensitivity traits did not significantly alter the association between the number of blistering sunburns and melanoma risk.