Potential ultraviolet light exposure from driving and body site distribution of basal cell carcinoma

Objective: Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common human cancer. Ultraviolet (UV) light exposure is one of the primary risk factors for BCC and certain exposures to UV, such as from driving, may be related to the body site distribution of these malignancies. We investigated the relationship between extended driving for work or commuting and (1) body site distribution and; (2) laterality of head/neck or arm BCCs among cases with a single BCC.;Methods: Single BCC (n=237) cases were drawn from a large case-control study of BCC in Connecticut. Participants completed a detailed in-person interview including information on extended driving for work or commuting. In this case-case analysis, univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to examine the association between extended driving and body site distribution and laterality.;Results: We observed a positive, though not statistically significant, association between driving more than 3 hours per day for work or commuting and having a single BCC on the head/neck or arm as compared to the trunk or leg (OR=2.16, 95% CI=0.73, 6.40). There was also a borderline statistically significant positive linear univariate association between hours spent driving during the summer months and BCC on the arm or head/neck versus leg or trunk (p-trend=0.05), but it was no longer statistically significant (p=0.10) after adjustment. We did not observe an association between extended driving and laterality of head/neck or arm BCCs (left versus right: OR=0.68, 95% CI=0.28, 1.63).;Conclusion: Our findings suggest a positive, though not statistically significant, association between extended driving and having a BCC on the head/neck or arm as compared to the leg or trunk. Additional research on potential UV exposure from driving in relation to skin cancer body site distribution is warranted.