Impact of ozone depletion on skin cancers.

Abstract

Because of recent growth in the uses and production of certain chlorofluorocarbon compounds, the ozone layer is at risk of diminishing. The major effect of a decrease in ozone will be an increase in the amount of UV-B radiation in sunlight. Even a small increase in UV-B radiation will almost certainly affect human health. The most obvious effect of increased UV-B radiation will be an increase in the incidence of basal and squamous cell carcinomas. Other possible effects include a contribution to the development of cutaneous melanoma, ocular changes leading to the formation of cataracts, and immunologic perturbations.