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DNA Repair Capacity identified those at High
Risk for Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer
Newswise, October 2010 — DNA repair capacity
(DRC) measurements effectively identified
individuals who were at high risk for
non-melanoma skin cancer, and may be a
useful method to evaluate the efficacy of
preventive therapies, according to study
results presented at the Third AACR
Conference on the Science of Cancer Health
Disparities.
“Our study showed that persons with low DRC
have three times greater likelihood of
having non-melanoma skin cancer as compared
to those with high DRC,” said Manuel Bayona,
M.D., Ph.D., professor of the Public Health
Program at the Ponce School of Medicine,
Puerto Rico.
DRC is a complex cellular mechanism
involving more than 200 proteins that is
used to repair damage to DNA within cells.
Bayona explained that DNA damage can be
caused by exposure to solar ultraviolet
light and other types of radiation, dietary
factors and aging. DRC has been linked to
several types of cancer development.
The researchers conducted a case-controlled
study among participants in Puerto Rico to
determine whether a reduced DRC was a risk
factor for non-melanoma skin cancer.
After comparing DRC levels in 477
newly-diagnosed, non-melanoma skin cancer
cases and 365 controls without cancer, they
found that low DRC levels were strongly
associated with non-melanoma skin cancer.
Bayona and colleagues also studied key risk
factors and their possible association with
DRC as predictors for non-melanoma skin
cancer:
• demographics (age, gender) and family
history of non-melanoma skin cancer;
• skin, hair and eye color, and presence of
freckles;
• occupational and recreational sun
exposure;
• sunscreen use;
• cigarette smoking;
• vitamins, aspirin and calcium intake;
• DRC levels; and,
• dermatological information and other
variables that could provide an estimate of
non-melanoma skin cancer risk.
These findings in Puerto Rico are consistent
with previous studies conducted elsewhere,
according to the researchers. Additionally,
participants who did not use sunblock, did
not take aspirin and/or did not take
multivitamin supplements regularly had
increased odds of non-melanoma skin cancer.
“Doctors could use DRC levels to monitor how
non-melanoma skin cancer risk decreases in
individuals taking cancer preventive
therapies,” he said.
