Sunscreens: IARC Handbook on Cancer Prevention

Exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays appears to be the most important factor in the development of skin cancer. Skin cancer is largely preventable when sun protection measures are consistently used. Sunscreens are designed primarily to protect against sunburn. The IARC convened a working group of experts to evaluate the cancer-preventitive activity of topical use of sunscreens and concluded that their use reduces the risk of sunburn and that sunscreens probably prevent squamous-cell carcinoma of the skin when used mainly during unintentional sun exposure. No conclusion could be drawn about cancer-preventitive activity of topical use of sunscreens against basal-cell carcinoma and cutaneous melanoma. This authoritative illustrated book gives the evaluations on cancer-preventative activity of topical use of sunscreens, as well as recommendations to skin cancer prevention. prepared by an expert group from 10 countries, it provides an international consensus on the use of sunscreens. The volume describes the efficacy of the use of sunscreens in skin cancer prevention, as well as the reported unwanted side-effects of such use and gives recommendations for further research, and public health related recommendations.