Estimation of individual cumulative ultraviolet exposure using a geographically-adjusted, openly-accessible tool

Abstract

BackgroundEstimates of an individual’s cumulative ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure can be useful since ultraviolet radiation exposure increases skin cancer risk, but a comprehensive tool that is practical for use in the clinic does not currently exist.The objective of this study is to develop a geographically-adjusted tool to systematically estimate an individual’s self-reported cumulative UV radiation exposure, investigate the association of these estimates with skin cancer diagnosis, and assess test reliability.MethodsA 12-item online questionnaire from validated survey items for UV exposure and skin cancer was administered to online volunteers across the United States and results cross-referenced with UV radiation indices. Cumulative UV exposure scores (CUES) were calculated and correlated with personal history of skin cancer in a case–control design. Reliability was assessed in a separate convenience sample.Results1,118 responses were included in the overall sample; the mean age of respondents was 46 (standard deviation 15, range 18 – 81) and 150 (13 %) reported a history of skin cancer. In bivariate analysis of 1:2 age-matched cases (n = 149) and controls (n = 298), skin cancer cases were associated with (1) greater CUES prior to first skin cancer diagnosis than controls without skin cancer history (242,074 vs. 205,379, p = 0.003) and (2) less engagement in UV protective behaviors (p < 0.01). In a multivariate analysis of age-matched data, individuals with CUES in the lowest quartile were less likely to develop skin cancer compared to those in the highest quartile. In reliability testing among 19 volunteers, the 2-week intra-class correlation coefficient for CUES was 0.94. We have provided the programming code for this tool as well as the tool itself via open access.ConclusionsCUES is a useable and comprehensive tool to better estimate lifetime ultraviolet exposure, so that individuals with higher levels of exposure may be identified for counseling on photo-protective measures.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12895-016-0038-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Vitamin D Levels in Patients with Colorectal Cancer Before and After Treatment Initiation

“…Cumulative UV Exposure Score (CUES) methodology was utilized as the indicator of sun exposure [34]. Self-reported sun exposure patterns such as sunscreen and protective clothing use were not incorporated into the sun exposure score due to lack of available validated methodology [35].…”

“…Self-reported sun exposure patterns such as sunscreen and protective clothing use were not incorporated into the sun exposure score due to lack of available validated methodology [35]. CUES was calculated as ∑ (hours of exposure x UV index) [34]. CUES is measured in units of (Watts*hour)/meter 2 , but should be considered a relative measure rather than an absolute dosimetry measure [34].…”

Novel Gene Expression Profile of Women with Intrinsic Skin Youthfulness by Whole Transcriptome Sequencing

“…Potential covariates of age, smoking history, ultraviolet radiation exposure [9], body mass index, and personal history of skin cancer (as this has been shown to alter sun protective behaviors [10]) were assayed for these three groups and tested by T-test or Fisher’s exact test in R. The scores for the young, SY and non-SY groups were tested by T-test in R. Results are shown in Table 1.…”

“…There were no significant changes between SY and non-SY group in chronological age, body mass index, smoking history, previous skin cancer, or estimated lifetime ultraviolet exposure.*Calculated by questionnaire on lifetime ultraviolet exposure using validated items [9]. …”

Reproducibilidad de un instrumento para evaluar factores de riesgo de cáncer de piel

“…Sin embargo, medir la RUV es complejo, porque la cantidad y la intensidad de la radiación dependen de muchas variables, como son la duración de la exposición, la latitud, la cantidad y el espectro de radiación recibida, entre otras [7,8]. A pesar de esto, en la literatura se dispone de poca información relacionada con la validez y confiabilidad de los instrumentos utilizados en estos estudios [9][10][11][12]. Lo que se relaciona con la variabilidad documentada en algunos de los trabajos realizados, y plantea la necesidad de diseñar estudios que permitan medir la exposición solar a través de métodos válidos y confiables [13].…”