Tanning in Animals
The carcinogenic exposure patterns in animals have been studied and examined at length in laboratories. Many different animals have developed SCC after being exposed to ultraviolet light. Of course, we, as humans, have relied on animal studies to obtain much of our knowledge regarding skin cancer.
With experimental animals, the results of indoor tanning were actually more evident than with regular sun exposure. The animals were given UV light in numerous small doses in order to simulate the effects of indoor tanners, and the animals developed more SCCs than when the same amount of energy was given in a few big doses to cause sunburns. A conclusion can be made that tanning is actually more damaging and dangerous than burning when it comes to the development of squamous cell carcinoma and photoaging. This is partially based on an experiment in which a hairless albino mouse was given a dose of UVB in small daily doses, such as that given in a tanning salon.
There have been no significant animal models for melanoma or basal cell carcinoma until quite recently. Our prior knowledge has been obtained from previous epidemiological studies in humans, and is therefore, incomplete.
An animal that is capable of developing melanocytic tumors has been discovered. It is the South American opossum (Monodelphid domestica). Epidemiologists have now been using that animal in their studies on melanoma and other skin cancers. The recent studies have implied that multiple low doses of UV radiation are more dangerous in inducing melanoma than are high doses.
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