Identification of Persons at High Risk for Cancer: A Delay in UV-Induced DNA Repair is Correlated with Multiple Skin Cancer

Solar radiation has been implicated as a possible cause for the rising world-wide incidence of malignant melanoma (MM) [1–6]. Other, additional effects may be: a) changes in social behaviour that lead to a greater exposure to sunlight, and b) the increasing penetration of UV light [7]. Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) has been used as a model to study the possible relationship between inadequate DNA repair and the development of different types of skin tumours [8–12]. Other investigators studied the causal relationship between the above-mentioned factors and MM, the dysplastic naevus syndrome (DNS) and other forms of skin tumours [3,7,11–24]. The role of UV light in the development of DNS and MM has not been elucidated as yet. DNS is assumed to be a precursor of MM, since it is observed frequently in association with familial melanoma [12-32]. Genetic studies have provided evidence for a significant correlation based on the occurrence of both diseases in single individuals and families [14–25].