Light at Night and Cancer Risk

Light at Night and Cancer Risk

Environmental lighting powerfully suppresses the physiologic release of melatonin, which typically peaks in the middle of the night. This decreased melatonin production has been hypothesized to increase the risk of cancer. Evidence from experimental studies supports a link between melatonin and tumo...

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Veröffentlicht in:Photochemistry and photobiology 2004-04, Vol.79 (4), p.316-318
Hauptverfasser: Schernhammer, Eva, Schulmeister, Karl
Format: Artikel
Sprache:eng
Schlagworte:
Animals
Cell Division
Darkness
Humans
INVITED REVIEW
Light - adverse effects
Lighting - adverse effects
Melatonin - biosynthesis
Melatonin - deficiency
Neoplasms - etiology
Neoplasms - mortality
Neoplasms - pathology
Occupational Exposure - adverse effects
Risk Assessment
Risk Factors
Time Factors
Work Schedule Tolerance - physiology
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Beschreibung
Zusammenfassung:Environmental lighting powerfully suppresses the physiologic release of melatonin, which typically peaks in the middle of the night. This decreased melatonin production has been hypothesized to increase the risk of cancer. Evidence from experimental studies supports a link between melatonin and tumor growth. There is also fairly consistent indirect evidence from observational studies for an association between melatonin suppression, using night work as a surrogate, and breast cancer risk.
ISSN:0031-8655
1751-1097
DOI:10.1562/SA-03-28.1