Biomaterial Database

Does sunlight protect us from cancer? 2017

Jacqueline E Marshall, and Scott N Byrne

Cellular Photoimmunology Group, Discipline of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Sydney Medical School at the Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, Australia. scott.byrne@sydney.edu.au.

The Ultraviolet (UV) radiation contained in sunlight is a powerful mutagen and immune suppressant which partly explains why exposure to solar UV is the biggest risk factor for the development of cutaneous tumours. Evidence is building that sunlight may be protective against some internal malignancies. Because patients with these tumours are often vitamin D deficient, this has led some to propose that vitamin D supplementation will be beneficial in the treatment of these cancers. However, the results from already completed trials have been disappointing which has given weight to the argument that there must be something else about sunlight that explains its cancer-protecting properties.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D006370	Heliotherapy	The treatment of disease by exposing the body to SUNLIGHT, a therapeutic use of SUNBATHING.
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D012878	Skin Neoplasms	Tumors or cancer of the SKIN.	Cancer of Skin,Skin Cancer,Cancer of the Skin,Neoplasms, Skin,Cancer, Skin,Cancers, Skin,Neoplasm, Skin,Skin Cancers,Skin Neoplasm
D013472	Sunlight	Irradiation directly from the sun.	Sunshine
D014807	Vitamin D	A vitamin that includes both CHOLECALCIFEROLS and ERGOCALCIFEROLS, which have the common effect of preventing or curing RICKETS in animals. It can also be viewed as a hormone since it can be formed in SKIN by action of ULTRAVIOLET RAYS upon the precursors, 7-dehydrocholesterol and ERGOSTEROL, and acts on VITAMIN D RECEPTORS to regulate CALCIUM in opposition to PARATHYROID HORMONE.
D014808	Vitamin D Deficiency	A nutritional condition produced by a deficiency of VITAMIN D in the diet, insufficient production of vitamin D in the skin, inadequate absorption of vitamin D from the diet, or abnormal conversion of vitamin D to its bioactive metabolites. It is manifested clinically as RICKETS in children and OSTEOMALACIA in adults. (From Cecil Textbook of Medicine, 19th ed, p1406)	Deficiency, Vitamin D,Deficiencies, Vitamin D,Vitamin D Deficiencies
D017211	Treatment Failure	A measure of the quality of health care by assessment of unsuccessful results of management and procedures used in combating disease, in individual cases or series.	Failure, Treatment,Failures, Treatment,Treatment Failures
D019587	Dietary Supplements	Products in capsule, tablet or liquid form that provide dietary ingredients, and that are intended to be taken by mouth to increase the intake of nutrients. Dietary supplements can include macronutrients, such as proteins, carbohydrates, and fats; and/or MICRONUTRIENTS, such as VITAMINS; MINERALS; and PHYTOCHEMICALS.	Food Supplements,Neutraceuticals,Dietary Supplementations,Food Supplementations,Herbal Supplements,Nutraceuticals,Nutriceuticals,Dietary Supplement,Food Supplement,Herbal Supplement,Neutraceutical,Nutraceutical,Nutriceutical,Supplement, Food,Supplement, Herbal,Supplementations, Dietary,Supplements, Dietary,Supplements, Food,Supplements, Herbal