What we have discovered
Scientists have also begun to study the effects of UV radiation on skin cancer. UVB is one type of ultraviolet radiation. UVB has been shown to cause sunburn, which damages the genetic material in cells. This damage can lead to skin cancer.
The primary source of environmental UV radiation is the sun. We are protected from much of the damaging UV radiation by the ozone layer. The ozone protects us by absorbing UVB light. Unfortunately, as the ozone becomes depleted due to pollution, a larger amount of UV radiation makes its way to the earth's surface.
With the increase of UV radiation in our environment, there has also been an increase in the cases of melanoma. We have been using hybrid fish to study how UV radiation can contribute to the formation of melanoma. The hybrid fish that we use have a high risk of developing melanoma. We expose some of them, the "test" fish, to certain amounts and types of UV radiation. The "control" fish are not subjected to UV radiation. We then compare the percentage of how many fish got melanomas in the test group to how many fish got melanomas in the control group.
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The table below shows the results of one of our experiments. |
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The hybrid fish that were exposed to UVB showed a significant increase in melanoma development. This data tells us that exposure to UV radiation can lead to development of melanomas in the fish.
We continue our work with these little fish. These informative fish help us to answer some questions about melanoma and hopefully other cancers.