Atopic Dermatitis: Ultraviolet B phototherapy not tied to increased risk of skin cancer
Taiwan: A recent population-based retrospective cohort study found no association between ultraviolet B phototherapy and an increased skin cancer risk among patients with atopic dermatitis (AD). The findings were published online in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
In the cohort study evaluating 6205 AD patients with 11.0 years of follow-up, UV-B phototherapy did not raise the risk of skin cancer, nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC), or melanoma. The researchers also assessed the number of UV-B phototherapy sessions, and each exposure did not increase the risk of melanoma, skin cancer, or NMSC among AD patients.
Atopic dermatitis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease with characteristics of chronic and relapsing clinical course, pruritus, and age-related distribution of eczematous lesions. It is one of the most common skin diseases, with a prevalence of 5% among adults and 20% among children. AD hurts interpersonal relationships, school performance and work.
UV-B phototherapy is a treatment modality commonly used for patients with atopic dermatitis. Chronic UV exposure is the most critical risk factor for skin cancer. Therefore, when choosing treatment, the long-term safety of UV-B phototherapy is a major concern for clinicians and patients.
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