PUVA and cancer: a large-scale epidemiological study

• Published in: The Lancet (British edition) 1991-07, Vol.338 (8759), p.91-93
• Main Authors: Lindelöf, B, Sigurgeirsson, B, Tegner, E, Larkö, O, Johannesson, A, Berne, B, Christensen, O.B, Andersson, T, Törngren, M, Molin, L, Nylander-Lundqvist, E, Emtestam, L
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biological and medical sciences; Cancer; Carcinogenesis, carcinogens and anticarcinogens; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - epidemiology; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - etiology; Child; Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Foods and miscellaneous; Humans; Incidence; Male; Medical research; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Pancreatic cancer; PUVA Therapy - adverse effects; Radiation; Registries; Risk Factors; Skin; Skin diseases; Skin Neoplasms - epidemiology; Skin Neoplasms - etiology; Sweden - epidemiology; Therapy; Tumors
• ISSN: 0140-6736; 1474-547X
• DOI: 10.1016/0140-6736(91)90083-2

There is concern about the long-term carcinogenic effects of psoralen and ultraviolet A radiation (PUVA) therapy for treatment of skin disorders. A study of 4799 Swedish patients (2343 males, 2056 females; mean age at first treatment 45·3 years, range 6-93; mean follow-up 6·9 years males, 7·2 years females) who received PUVA between 1974 and 1985 showed a dose-dependent increase in the risk of squamous cell cancer of the skin. Male patients who had received more than 200 treatments had over 30 times the incidence of squamous cell cancer found in the general population. Significant increases (p