Sunlight and Skin Cancer

In this issue of the Journal, Tucker et al.1 report an association between intraocular melanoma and exposure to sunlight. This is one more instance of the postulated link between sunlight and cancers on the exposed areas of the body — the skin and the eyes. Theoretically, the induction of skin cancer could result from continual exposures to ultraviolet radiation or possibly from occasional intensive exposures. Ultraviolet light in the range of 290 to 320 nm (ultraviolet B), weighted in accordance with its effectiveness in altering DNA, is probably the portion of ultraviolet radiation that is involved. Ultraviolet B is quite . . .