DNA repair and susceptibility to basal cell carcinoma: a case-control study

This study investigated the role of DNA repair in susceptibility to sunlight-induced basal cell carcinoma using a host cell reactivation assay in peripheral lymphocytes. The study included Maryland basal cell carcinoma patients and cancer-free dermatologic controls who had had noncancerous skin diso...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inAmerican journal of epidemiology Vol. 140; no. 7; p. 598
Main Authors Wei, Q, Matanoski, G M, Farmer, E R, Hedayati, M A, Grossman, L
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.10.1994
Subjects
Adult
Analysis of Variance
Carcinoma, Basal Cell - epidemiology
Carcinoma, Basal Cell - genetics
Case-Control Studies
Disease Susceptibility
DNA Repair
Female
Humans
Male
Maryland - epidemiology
Middle Aged
Risk Factors
Skin Neoplasms - epidemiology
Skin Neoplasms - genetics
Maryland
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Summary:This study investigated the role of DNA repair in susceptibility to sunlight-induced basal cell carcinoma using a host cell reactivation assay in peripheral lymphocytes. The study included Maryland basal cell carcinoma patients and cancer-free dermatologic controls who had had noncancerous skin disorders diagnosed between 1987 and 1990. Logistic regression models were used to assess the independent effect of the selected variables stratified by DNA repair level, with adjustment for age and family history. Skin type, lifetime number of severe sunburns, and actinic elastosis were also selected as risk factors for basal cell carcinoma. Cryopreserved lymphocytes from 88 cases and 135 controls were used for the DNA repair assay. When data were stratified by DNA repair level and adjusted for age and family history of skin cancer, significantly increased odds ratios associated with lighter skin (odds ratio (OR) = 3.2, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.5-7.3), six or more severe sunburns in a lifetime (OR = 4.2, 95% CI 1.6-10.7), and moderate or severe actinic elastosis (OR = 4.4, 95% CI 1.5-12.8) were observed in persons with low DNA repair but not in those with high DNA repair. These findings suggest that impaired DNA repair may be a susceptibility factor for sunlight-induced skin cancer in the general public, as it is in patients with xeroderma pigmentosum.
ISSN:0002-9262
1476-6256
DOI:10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a117297