Ultraviolet light exposure and skin cancer in the city of Arica, Chile.

An increase in the amount of solar ultraviolet light that reaches the Earth is considered to be responsible for the worldwide increase in skin cancer. Solar ultraviolet B (UVB) light (290-320 nm) has multiple effects that can be harmful to human beings. The city of Arica in Chile receives high UV levels. This can explain the high prevalence of skin cancer in the Arica population. In the present study, pathological reports of skin cancer were collected from an Arica hospital and retrospectively examined to investigate the possible effects of UV radiation. Among the malignant skin tumor types, basocellular and spinocellular carcinomas were more common in men (44.4 and 16.6%, respectively) than in women (24.9 and 10.7%, respectively). Basocellular carcinoma was observed in individuals 40-79 years of age. The incidence of skin cancer significantly increased (P<0.05) between 2000 and 2006 per 100,000 population. The factor of incidence of skin cancer per 100,000 population significantly increased (P<0.05) between 1980 and 2000 in both genders, but was higher in men (0.79-1.99) than in women (0.63-1.56). The results of the study indicate a steady increase in the incidence of skin cancer in Arica, Chile, most probably due to the high levels of ultraviolet light to which individuals are exposed throughout the year, and the cumulative effect of this type of radiation on the skin.