Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

LIVE: Thursday 27th June 2024, 18:00-19:30 (CEST)
Join our expert panel to discover why you need to understand the drivers of non-adherence in your patients, and how you can optimize medication adherence in your clinics to drastically improve patient outcomes.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
Cancer Causes & Control
Published in: Cancer Causes & Control 10/2010

01-10-2010 | Original paper

Relationship between cancer mortality/incidence and ambient ultraviolet B irradiance in China

Authors: Wanqing Chen, Mark Clements, Bayzidur Rahman, Siwei Zhang, Youlin Qiao, Bruce K. Armstrong

Published in: Cancer Causes & Control | Issue 10/2010

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

Studies finding an inverse correlation of ambient solar irradiance with cancer mortality were the first to suggest that sun exposure and probably, therefore, vitamin D might protect against some cancers. Such correlation has been shown in Asian populations in some studies. We analyzed the correlation between mortality and incidence from a number of cancers and ambient solar ultraviolet (UV) B irradiance in China.

Methods

Cancer mortality data were obtained from the Second National Death Survey conducted in a sample of 263 counties in China from 1990 to 1992. National cancer registration data 1998–2002 in China were used for estimation of cancer incidence. Satellite measurements of cloud-adjusted ambient UVB intensity at 305 nm were obtained from a NASA database and GIS methods used to estimate the average daily irradiance for the 263 counties in 1990. We estimated cancer mortality rate ratios per 10 mW/(nm m2) change in UVB by fitting a negative binomial regression model with mortality as the response variable and UVB as the independent variable, adjusted for sex, age, and urban or rural area.

Results

Mortality rates for all cancers and cancers of the esophagus, stomach, colon and rectum, liver, lung, breast, and bladder were inversely correlated with ambient UVB. This correlation was present in men and women and rural residents for all these cancers but not urban residents for cancers of the esophagus, colon and rectum and liver. Lung cancer mortality showed the strongest inverse correlation with an estimated 12% fall per 10 mW/(nm m2) increase in UVB irradiance even if adjusted for smoking. Only incidence rates for cancers of the esophagus, stomach, colon and rectum and cervix were inversely correlated with ambient UVB. Mortality and incidence from nasopharyngeal cancer increased with increasing UVB [respectively 27 and 12% per mW/(nm m2)]. Mortality from cancer of the cervix also increased, but to a lesser extent and mortality from leukemia was not consistently correlated with UVB irradiance.

Conclusion

Mortality from all cancers together and most major cancers in China was inversely associated with solar UVB. These associations were similar to those observed in a number of populations of European origin. Incidence of some cancer types had the same correlation with UVB. They suggest the possibility that vitamin D may reduce the incidence or improve the outcome of cancer in Chinese people.
Appendix
Available only for authorised users
Literature
1.
Armstrong BK, Kricker A (2001) The epidemiology of UV induced skin cancer. J Photochem Photobiol B 63:8–18CrossRefPubMed
2.
Moon SJ, Fryer AA, Strange RC (2005) Ultraviolet radiation: effects on risks of prostate cancer and other internal cancers. Mutat Res 571(1–2):207–219PubMed
3.
Kricker A, Armstrong BK, Hughes AM, Goumas C et al. (2008) Interlymph Consortium. Personal sun exposure and risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma: a pooled analysis from the Interlymph Consortium. Int J Cancer 122(1):144–154
4.
Knight JA, Lesosky M, Barnett H, Raboud JM, Vieth R (2007) Vitamin D and reduced risk of breast cancer: a population-based case-control study. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 16(3):422–429CrossRefPubMed
5.
Garland CF, Garland FC (1980) Do sunlight and vitamin D reduce the likelihood of colon cancer? Int J Epidemiol 9:227–231CrossRefPubMed
6.
Rhee HV, Coebergh JW, Vries ED (2009) Sunlight, vitamin D and the prevention of cancer: a systematic review of epidemiological studies. Eur J Cancer Prev 18(6):458–475CrossRef
7.
Frampton RJ, Omond SA, Eisman JA (1983) Inhibition of human cancer cell growth by 1, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 metabolites. Cancer Res 43:4443–4447PubMed
8.
Colston KW, Mackay AG, James SY et al (1992) EB1089: a new vitamin D analogue that inhibits the growth of breast cancer cells in vivo and in vitro. Biochem Pharmacol 44:2273–2280CrossRefPubMed
9.
Skowronski GJ, Peehl DM, Feldman D (1993) Vitamin D and prostate cancer: 1, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 receptors and actions in human prostate cancer cell lines. Endocrinology 132:1952–1960CrossRefPubMed
10.
Anzano MM, Smith JM, Uskokovic MR et al (1994) 1,25-Dihydroxy-16-ene-23-yne-26, 27-hexafluorocholecalciferol (Ro24–5531), a new deltanoid (vitamin D analogue) for prevention of breast cancer in the rat. Cancer Res 54:1653–1656PubMed
11.
International Agency for Research on Cancer (2008) Vitamin D and Cancer, IARC working group reports, vol 5. WHO Press, World Health Organization, Geneva
12.
Garland CF, Gorham ED, Mohr SB, Garland FC (2009) Vitamin D for cancer prevention: global perspective. Ann Epi 19(7):468CrossRef
13.
Kato I, Tajima K, Kuroishi T et al (1985) Latitude and pancreatic cancer. Jpn J Clin Oncol 15:403–413PubMed
14.
Mazoue T (2006) Ecological study of solar radiation and cancer mortality in Japan. Health Phys 87:532–538CrossRef
15.
Kinoshita S, Wagatsuma Y, Okada M (2007) Geographical distribution for malignant neoplasm of the pancreas in relation to selected climatic factors in Japan. Int J Health Geogr. 6:34CrossRefPubMed
16.
Uehara M, Takahashi K, Hoshuyanma T, Pan G, Feng Y (2003) Geographical correlation between ambient UVB level and mortality risk of leukemia in Japan. Environmental Res 92:78–84CrossRef
17.
Archer VE (1989) Latitudinal variation of digestive tract cancers in the US and China. Nutr Cancer 12:213–223CrossRefPubMed
18.
Grant WB (2007) Does solar ultraviolet irradiation affect cancer mortality rates in China? Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 8:236–242PubMed
19.
Office for Cancer Prevention, Control, Ministry of Health, P.R. China (2007) Malignant tumor mortality survey report (1990–1992), 1st edn. People’s Medical Publishing House, Beijing
20.
Office for Cancer Prevention, Control, Ministry of Health, P.R. China (1980) Malignant tumor mortality survey report, 1st edn. People’s Medical Publishing House, Beijing
21.
Armstrong B (1980) The epidemiology of cancer in the Peoples Republic of China. Int J Epidemiol 9:305–315CrossRefPubMed
22.
23.
24.
Lawless JF (1987) Negative binomial and mixed Poisson regression. Can J Stat-Revue Canadienne De Statistique 15:209–225CrossRef
25.
Doll R, Payne P, Waterhouse J (1966) Cancer incidence in five continents: a technical report. UICC, Berlin
26.
Estève J, Benhamou E, Raymond L (1994) Statistical methods in cancer research. Descriptive epidemiology, vol IV. International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon
27.
Davison AC, Hinkley DV (1997) Bootstrap methods and their application. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
28.
Liu BQ, Peto R, Chen ZM, Boreham J et al (1998) Emerging tobacco hazards in China: 1. Retrospective proportional mortality study of one million deaths. BMJ 317:1411–1422PubMed
29.
Grant WB (2007) An ecologic study of cancer mortality rates in Spain with respect to indices of solar UV irradiance and smoking. Int J Cancer 120:1123–1127CrossRefPubMed
30.
Abnet CC, Chen W, Dawsey SM et al (2007) Serum 25(OH)-vitamin D concentration and risk of esophageal squamous dysplasia. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 16(9):1889–1893CrossRefPubMed
31.
Chen W, Dawsey SM, Qiao YL et al (2007) Prospective study of serum 25(OH)-vitamin D concentration and risk of oesophageal and gastric cancers. Br J Cancer 97(1):123–128CrossRefPubMed
32.
Guo X, Johnson RC, Deng H et al (2009) Evaluation of nonviral risk factors for nasopharyngeal carcinoma in a high-risk population of Southern China. Int J Cancer 124(12):2942–2947CrossRefPubMed
33.
Hrushesky WJ, Sothern RB, Rietveld WJ, Du-Quiton J, Boon ME (2006) Sun exposure, sexual behavior and uterine cervical human papilloma virus. Int J Biometeorol 50(3):167–173CrossRefPubMed
34.
Hrushesky WJ, Sothern RB, Rietveld WJ, Du Quiton J, Boon ME (2005) Season, sun, sex, and cervical cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 14(8):1940–1947CrossRefPubMed
35.
Franceschi S, Herrero R, Clifford GM et al (2006) Variations in the age-specific curves of human papillomavirus prevalence in women worldwide. Int J Cancer 119:2677–2684CrossRefPubMed
36.
Chen T-C, Lee J-Y, Wang S-Y, Chang C-L, Yang Y-C (2005) Relevant factors for cervical cancer among young women in Taiwan. Taiwanese J Obstetrics Gynaecol 44:143–147CrossRef
37.
Boscoe FP, Schymura MJ (2006) Solar ultraviolet-B exposure and cancer incidence and mortality in the United States, 1993–2000. BMC Cancer 6:264CrossRefPubMed
38.
Mohr SB, Garland CF, Gorham ED et al (2008) Could ultraviolet B irradiance and vitamin D be associated with lower incidence rates of lung cancer? J Epidemiol Community Health 62:69–74CrossRefPubMed
39.
Giovannucci E, Liu Y, Rimm EB, Hollis BW, Fuchs CS, Stampfer MJ, Willett WC (2006) Prospective study of predictors of vitamin D status and cancer incidence and mortality in men. J Natl Cancer Inst 98:451–459CrossRefPubMed
40.
Grant WB (2006) The likely role of vitamin D from solar ultraviolet-B irradiance in increasing cancer survival. Anticancer Res 26(4A):2605–2614
41.
Zhou W, Suk R, Liu G, Park S, Neuberg DS, Wain JC, Lynch TJ, Giovannucci E, Christiani DC (2005) Vitamin D is associated with improved survival in early-stage non-small cell lung cancer patients. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 14:2303–2309CrossRefPubMed
42.
Zhou W, Heist RS, Liu G et al (2007) Circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin d levels predict survival in early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer patients. J Clin Oncol 25:479–485CrossRefPubMed
43.
Guan QR, Ying C, Ma XC (1984) National survey on prevalence of rickets in infants and young children. In: Guan QR (ed) Prevention and treatment of rickets (1). Hei Long Jiang Publishing Bureau, Harbin, pp 25–26
44.
Zhou H (1991) Rickets in China. In: Glorieux FH (ed) Rickets. Raven Press, New York, pp 253–261
45.
Strand MA, Perry J, Zhao J, Fischer PR, Yang J, Li S (2009) Severe vitamin D-deficiency and the health of North China children. Matern Child Health J 13(1):144–150CrossRefPubMed
46.
Foo LH, Zhang Q, Zhu K et al (2009) Low vitamin D status has an adverse influence on bone mass, bone turnover, and muscle strength in Chinese adolescent girls. J Nutr 139(5):1002–1007CrossRefPubMed
47.
Woo J, Lam CW, Leung J et al (2008) Very high rates of vitamin D insufficiency in women of child-bearing age living in Beijing and Hong Kong. Br J Nutr 99(6):1330–1334CrossRefPubMed
48.
Wat WZ, Leung JY, Tam S, Kung AW (2007) Prevalence and impact of vitamin D insufficiency in southern Chinese adults. Ann Nutr Metab 51(1):59–64CrossRefPubMed
49.
Du X, Greenfield H, Fraser DR, Ge K, Trube A, Wang Y (2001) Vitamin D deficiency and associated factors in adolescent girls in Beijing. Am J Clin Nutr 74:494–500PubMed
Metadata
Title
Relationship between cancer mortality/incidence and ambient ultraviolet B irradiance in China
Authors
Wanqing Chen
Mark Clements
Bayzidur Rahman
Siwei Zhang
Youlin Qiao
Bruce K. Armstrong
Publication date
01-10-2010
Publisher
Springer Netherlands
Published in
Cancer Causes & Control / Issue 10/2010
Print ISSN: 0957-5243
Electronic ISSN: 1573-7225
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-010-9599-1

Other articles of this Issue 10/2010

Cancer Causes & Control 10/2010 Go to the issue

Original paper

Consumption of filtered and boiled coffee and the risk of incident cancer: a prospective cohort study

Letter to the editor

Vitamin and mineral use and risk of prostate cancer: misleading?

Original paper

Polymorphisms in one-carbon metabolism pathway genes, urinary arsenic profile, and urothelial carcinoma

Original paper

Association of serum cholesterol and cholesterol-lowering drug use with serum sex steroid hormones in men in NHANES III

Original paper

Male infertility and prostate cancer risk: a nested case–control study

Original paper

Racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in mortality among women diagnosed with cervical cancer in New York City, 1995–2006
Webinar | 19-02-2024 | 17:30 (CET)

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on antibody–drug conjugates in cancer

Watch now

Antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) are novel agents that have shown promise across multiple tumor types. Explore the current landscape of ADCs in breast and lung cancer with our experts, and gain insights into the mechanism of action, key clinical trials data, existing challenges, and future directions.

Dr. Véronique Diéras
Prof. Fabrice Barlesi
Developed by: Springer Medicine
Image Credits