Nexus - 0205 - New Times Magazine-pages

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It has been established that the female ovulatory cycle and asso- ciated oestrogen levels are regulated and normalised by light." It has also been shown that the female hormone modifies the activi- ty of melanoma cells,’ though there is considerable debate whether this enhances or inhibits the replication of melanoma cells. The production of Vitamin D appears also to be regulated by the frequency of light entering the eyes,” and evidence is available which strongly indicated that this vitamin may play an important role in inhibiting melanoma.'* The problem is that sunglasses significantly distort the spectral distribution and intensity of the natural sunlight entering our eyes. This being so, although sunglasses may protect against the harm- ful effects of excessive light exposure, they have the potential to affect adversely the regulation of the various hormone systems involved in protection against melanoma. The extent to which light entering our eyes is distorted and in that sense made artificial is illustrated by our test studies of the absorbence spectra of vari- ous eyeglasses. The results of the tests are shown below. Notice that regular sunglasses substantially reduce light intensi- ty in both the visible region and the UV region. Plain glass on the other hand only begins to absorb light below 320nm in the case of UV treated one. Since the UV wavelengths blocked are precisely those which may be particularly important in respect of the photo- optic stimulation of the pineal gland and the regulation of its hor- mones, the chronic use of sunglasses, along with some eyeglasses, may serve inadvertantly to increase the risk of melanoma. Connection", Nexus, Vol.2, No.#, May-June 1991, pp.34-37; Laura, R.S. and Ashton, J.F., "Shedding Some Light on the Melanoma Debate", The Vitamin Connection, July 1991, pp.2-5. 3. Lee, J.A.H. and Strickland, D. "Malignant Melanoma: Social Status and Outdoor Work", British J. Cancer, Vol.41, 1980, pp.757-763. 4. Hollwick, F. The Influence of Ocular Light Perception on Metabolism in Man and in Animal. New York, Springer-Verlag, 1979. See also Wurtman, R.J. "Effects of Light on the Human Body", Scientific American, July 1975, pp.69- 77, and Brainard, G.C. et.al. "Effects of Light Wavelengths on the Suppression of Nocturnal Plasma Melatonin in Normal Volunteers", Ann. New York Acad. Sci., Vol.435, 1985, pp.376-378. 5. Gupta, D., Attanasio, A., and Reiter, R.J. (Eds.). The Pineal Gland and Cancer, Tubingen, West Germany, Brain Research Promotion, 1988. See also Cohen, M. et.al. "Role of pineal gland in aetiology and treatment of breast can- cer", The Lancet, (ii), 1978, pp. 814-816. 6. Tamarlnin, et.al. "Melatonin inhibitions and pinealectomy enhancement of 7,12-dimethylbenz (a) anthracene induced mammary tumors in the rat." Cancer Research, Vol.41, 1981, pp.4432-4436. 7. Gupta, D. et.al., op.cit. 8. Wurtman, R.J. "The Action of Light on Man and Mammals: Normal Physiologic and Pathologic Extracutaneous Effects" in Fitzpatrick, T.B. (ed), Sunlight and Man, Tokyo, University of Tokyo Press, 1974, pp.231-246. See also Wurtman, R.J., 1975 (op.cit.) 9. Brainard, G.C. et.al. "Near-Ultraviolet Radiation Suppresses Pineal Melatonin Content", Endocrino-logy, Vol. 119, No.5, 1986, pp.2201-2205. 10. Luce, G.C. Body Time, Melbourne, Sun Books. 1972, pp.241-2. 11. Anon. "Possible Oestrogen Use Against Melanoma", Laboratory News, Sydney, August 1989, p12. 12. Stumpf, W.E. "The Endocrinology of Sunlight and Darkness. Complementary Roles of Vitamin D and Pineal Hormones", Naturwissenschaften, Vol.75, No.5, 1988, p.247. 13. Colston, K. et.al. "1, 25-Dihydrocyvitamin D3 and Malignant Melanoma: The Presence of Receptors and Inhibition of Cell Growth in Culture", Endocrinology, Vol.108, No.3, 1981, pp.1083-1086. (See also reference in Aust. Doctors Weekly article). REFERENCES: 1. Elwood, J.M. et.al. "Trends in Incidence and Mortality from Cutaneous Melanoma in England and Wales", The Menzies Foundation Transactions, Vol.15, 1989, p.131. 2. Ashton, J.F. and Laura, R.S. "Environmental Factors and the Melanoma Enigma", Search, Vol.21, No.7, 1991, pp.217-218; see also Ashton, J.F. and Laura, R.S. "Let There Be Light", Search, Vol.21, No.8, December 1990, p.268; Laura, R.S. and Ashton, J.F., "Challenging the Sunlight-Skin Cancer sunglasses (expensive brand) sunglasses (inexpensive brand) sunglasses (polarising type) prescription plastic eyeglasses glass safety glasses U.V.coated prescription plastic eyeglasses NEXUS - 18 ABSORBANCE SPECTRA OF EYEGLASSES*: 6 SPECTRA *As recorded using a varian Super Scan 3 spectrophotometer nm = nanometers YEAR BOOK + OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1991