Epidemiology and Genetics of Tanning Addiction

描述(申请人提供)：尽管对紫外线的有害影响有广泛的知识和教育，但黑色素瘤和非黑色素瘤皮肤癌的发病率仍在继续上升。要使行为干预有效，关键是要了解行为背后的因素。最近的研究表明，紫外线照射(如内啡肽的释放)可能具有刺激晒黑行为的生理效应，晒黑成瘾可能是一种生理现象，与其他成瘾行为一样，可能有遗传修饰物。随着我们在我们对早发性(40岁以下)基底细胞癌(BCC)的大型病例对照研究中收集关于晒黑行为和对晒黑的态度的广泛数据，并获得DNA样本，我们有一个独特的机会来经济高效地评估这一新的假设。我们建议在我们的BCC病例对照研究的背景下评估晒黑依赖(通过类比公认的物质依赖形式来定义)以及晒黑依赖和成瘾风险基因之间的关系。更具体地说，我们建议对我们的早发性皮肤癌研究的参与者进行一项额外的调查，以评估晒黑依赖(成瘾)，这将使我们能够解决以下目标：(1)按性别评估晒黑依赖的流行率；(2)评估晒黑依赖(成瘾)与实际晒黑行为(例如，室内和室外晒黑)之间的关联；即，年轻人的晒黑行为有多少是由成瘾来解释的？(3)评估被认为与多种成瘾相关的候选基因(阿片途径成员和昼夜节律基因)在晒黑成瘾中的作用。这些数据将与我们的病例对照研究数据协同作用，提供与皮肤癌风险相关的晒黑动机和行为的全面图景。如果我们发现与其他类型的成瘾有关的晒黑成瘾的基因参与，这将证明有必要采取新的方法来减少依赖者的有害暴露，就像对其他有害的成瘾障碍所做的那样。 公共卫生相关性：拟议的研究将调查晒黑依赖(成瘾)的流行病学和遗传学，这将帮助我们更好地了解晒黑的动机，并为开发创新的干预措施开辟新的途径，以减少紫外线暴露，并最终减少黑色素瘤和非黑色素瘤皮肤癌。开发更有效的干预措施至关重要，因为皮肤癌是美国最常见的癌症，黑色素瘤和非黑色素瘤皮肤癌的发病率都在继续增加。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Despite extensive knowledge and education about the harmful effects of ultraviolet (UV) light, the incidence of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers is continuing to increase. For behavioral interventions to be effective, it is critical to understand the factors that underlie behaviors. Recent research suggests there may be physiological effects of UV exposure (e.g. release of endorphins) that motivate tanning behaviors, and that tanning addiction may be a physiological phenomenon, with possible genetic modifiers as has been shown for other addictive behaviors. As we are collecting extensive data on tanning behaviors and attitudes towards tanning within our large case-control study on early onset (aged under 40) basal cell carcinoma (BCC), and have DNA samples, we have a unique opportunity to cost-effectively evaluate this newer hypothesis. We propose to assess tanning dependence (defined by analogy with generally-recognized forms of substance dependence) and the relationship between tanning dependence and addiction risk genes within the setting of our BCC case-control study. More specifically, we propose to administer an additional survey to assess tanning dependence (addiction) to participants of our study of early onset skin cancer, which will allow us to address the following aims: (1) To assess the prevalence of tanning dependence in cases and controls, by sex; (2) To assess the association between tanning dependence (addiction) and actual tanning behaviors (e.g., indoor and outdoor tanning); that is, how much of tanning behavior in young people is explained by addiction?; (3) To assess the role of candidate genes that are thought to be related to multiple types of addiction (members of the opioid pathway, and circadian rhythm genes) in tanning addiction. These data will synergize with our case-control study data to provide a comprehensive picture of tanning motivation and behavior in relation to skin cancer risk. If we find involvement of genes in tanning addiction that are related to other types of addiction, this would warrant new approaches to reduce harmful exposures in dependent persons as has been done with other harmful addictive disorders. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The proposed study will investigate the epidemiology and genetics of tanning dependence (addiction) which will help us better understand motivation for tanning and open new avenues for development of innovative interventions to reduce ultraviolet light exposure and ultimately reduce melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancers. Developing more effective interventions is essential as skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States and the incidence of both melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer continues to increase.