AN ADDITION TO THE CONTROVERSY ON SUNLIGHT EXPOSURE AND MELANOMA RISK- A META-ANALYTICAL APPROACH

Case control studies on the association between sunlight exposure and melanoma risk show considerable differences in design; this could be r esponsible for the variation in study results. In an attempt to resolv e the controversy between study results, the results of 25 publication s on case control studies were evaluated using meta-analytical techniq ues. Comparison of odds ratios between subgroups of studies revealed t hat the range of odds ratios was far greater for hospital-based studie s than for population-based studies. For the latter type of studies, t he odds ratios were homogeneous and the pooled odds ratios were 1.57 ( 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.29-1.91) for intermittent sunlight exp osure and 0.73 (95% CI, 0.60-0.89) for chronic exposure. However, amon g other problems, the lack of standardized measures for sunlight expos ure warrants cautious interpretation of these results. It is concluded that evidence to support the intermittent sunlight theory is still fa r from complete.