Workplace sun protection policies could reduce skin cancer rates in genetically susceptible populations living at low latitudes

Population-based studies show actinic keratoses (AK) and carcinomas of the squamous and basal cells (referred to as epithelial skin cancers) are prevalent in genetically susceptible populations living at low latitudes (Scotto et al., 1974; Staples et al., 1998), where high levels of ambient solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) are generally experienced throughout the year (Altmeyer et al., 1997). This partly explains why Townsville, in North Queensland (NQ), Australia, is reported to have the highest rates of epithelial skin cancers (ESC) in the world (Buettner & Raasch, 2001).While ESC have a low fatality rate (Nixon et al., 1986), they can cause considerable personal morbidity (Wong et al., 2003) and financial cost (Miller and Weinstock, 1994). Appropriate interventions are needed to reduce the incidence of ESC in the NQ population, and in other parts of the world where genetically susceptible populations reside at low latitudes. As a consequence the question arises, what would be the most appropriate intervention to reduce the incidence of ESC in such regions? A study conducted in Townsville in 1999, found that men were twice as likely as women to develop a skin cancer (Buettner & Raasch, 2001), and three times as likely to experience multiple skin cancers (Raasch & Buettner, 2002). In fact, all studies of ESC in Caucasian populations show higher rates in men than women, suggesting that men should be the primary target group of any such intervention program