Solar dosimetry of the face: the relationship of natural ultraviolet radiation exposure to basal cell carcinoma localisation.

Measurements have been made of the distribution of natural ultraviolet radiation (UVR) at 41 sites on the face of a large fibreglass model of a head. The dosemeter used was the polymer film polysulphone. The results have been correlated with published values of the distribution of basal cell carcinomas on the face. Although the comparison has highlighted the problems of trying to relate frequency of skin tumour occurrence to sunlight exposure, the present results are compatible with the hypotheses that human skin cancer incidence increases with environmental UVR exposure, and that sunlight is not the only factor in the aetiology of basal cell carcinomas of the face.