| Themes > Science > Earth Sciences > Hydrology, Meteorology, Climatology > Meteorology / Climatology > The Ozone Layer > UV Radiation and its Effects > Is ozone loss to blame for the melanoma upsurge? |
A few physicians have said so, but most others think not. [Skolnick] [van der Leun and de Gruijl] First of all, UV-B has not, so far, increased very much, at least in the US and Europe. Second, melanoma takes 10-20 years to develop. There hasn't been enough time for ozone depletion to play a significant role. Third, the melanoma epidemic has been going on since the 1940's. Recent increases in rates may just reflect better reporting, or the popularity of suntans in the '60's and '70's. (This becomes more likely if UV-A is in fact involved.) |
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