Archive | 2019
Impact of the Sun and its Risk of Cancer
Abstract
Correspondence: Jorge Ocampo-Canidani E-mail: [email protected] Available online: 01-10-2018 Medicina Universitaria. 2018;20(2):66-67 www.medicinauniversitaria.org Date of reception: 25-06-2018 Date of acceptance: 10-07-2018 DOI: 10.24875/RMU.M18000015 1665-5796/© 2018 Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León. Published by Permanyer México SA de CV. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). In this edition, the article entitled “Knowledge, attitudes, and practices on the use of sun protection in 6th year medical students of two schools in the Peruvian Lambayeque region” is presented. In it, the authors take us through the study carried out on students in their last year of medical school. This article makes us reflect on what attitudes and actions our young doctors are taking regarding sun protection. Surprisingly, it is not 100% of the population of young physicians who know the harmful effects of photo exposure accurately, neither do they actively use measures to counteract the photodamage. It is our duty to participate and support the dissemination of knowledge regarding sun protection. Sunlight should not be classified as entirely harmful since it participates actively in the cycle of terrestrial life, it is necessary for the photosynthesis of plants, and also plays a fundamental role in the cycles of wakefulness and sleep. In humans, it also has other positive effects such as the production of Vitamin D3 and stimulation of melanin production and also has a therapeutic value in certain pathologies such as psoriasis, vitiligo, and eczema. We are all exposed to radiation. However, we are not all aware of the magnitude of the effects it can have on our skin. Ultraviolet radiation is divided into UVA (315–400 nm), UVB (315–280 nm), and UVC (100–280 nm)1. The atmosphere can absorb all the radiation caused by UVC, most of the UVB, but it gives us little protection against UVA1. Despite this, the participation of 80% of UVB and 20% of UVA is required for a sunburn to appear2. The population in Latin America usually presents darker phototypes. However, this does not mean that the photoprotection measures in these patients should be neglected. It has been found that the population with phototype III develops sunburns after 20 min of sun exposure and the population with phototype V usually requires up to 1 h of exposure, making them more susceptible to unintended photodamage2. Another important fact is that 77% of the solar radiation, we receive in the Northern Hemisphere, occurs between March and October2. The pediatric population has greater solar exposure than the adult population. It is estimated that during the first 18 years of life, they have received from 50% to 80% of the ultraviolet (UV) radiation to which they will be exposed in their lifetime1. A greater solar exposure in this stage is makes them more likely to develop melanocytic nevi and melanoma in adulthood1. The present study mentions that “medical students do not apply it to themselves, which would show that in reality they are not convinced of this practice of skin cancer prevention.” In other studies carried out concerning photoprotection, it has been found that only 39% of the subjects have used photoprotectants at some time. Furthermore, 26% of the subjects also came to consider that having a tan is healthy3. These preventive measures should be reinforced for the whole population in general. There is also a difference in taking preventive measures regarding gender, with women having the greatest adherence to photoprotection2. Regarding Medicina Universitaria