Why the incidence of cancer is increasing: the role of ‘light pollution’

doi:10.1016/0306-9877(90)90182-E

Medical Hypotheses

Volume 33, Issue 2, October 1990, Pages 75-78

https://doi.org/10.1016/0306-9877(90)90182-E Get rights and content

Abstract

At present, cancer is responsible for almost half of all deaths among women 45–64 years of age, and about 30% of all deaths among men in the same age group (1). This high rate represents a marked increase from the end of the last century (2), and it probably has a multifactorial etiology. Air pollution, smoking, diet, alcohol, occupational exposures and stress are all considered as possible etiologic and risk factors (3). We put forward a hypothesis that one of the most important etiologic factors in the rapid growth rate of cancer is the change of light exposure that took place in the last 100 years, especially in the developed countries. Increased light exposure acting through the pineal gland reduces melatonin production, thereby diminishing the non-specific oncostatic effects of the pineal gland.

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Why the incidence of cancer is increasing: the role of ‘light pollution’

Abstract

J. Amer. Acad. Dermatol.

Biochim. Biophys. Acta

Cancer Letters

Neurochem. Int.

Causes of death in Canada

The rising incidence and mortality rate of malignant melanoma

J. Dermatol. Surg. Oncol

Environmental factors and cancer incidence and mortality in different countries, with special reference to dietary practices

Int. J. Cancer

Introduction

Conditional neoplasms and sub-threshold neoplastic states: Study of tar tumours of rabbits