Does UV-B phototherapy increase the risk of skin cancer in AD patients?

Ultraviolet (UV)-B phototherapy does not appear to increase the risk of skin cancer in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD), reveals a study.

A group of researchers carried out this nationwide population-based cohort study from 2001 to 2018 to assess the risk of UV-B phototherapy for skin cancer, nonmelanoma skin cancer, and cutaneous melanoma in patients with AD.

A total of 6,205 patients with AD were included. No significant increase was observed in the risks of skin cancer (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.91, 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 0.35‒2.35), nonmelanoma skin cancer (aHR, 0.80, 95 percent CI, 0.29‒2.26), and cutaneous melanoma (aHR, 0.80, 95 percent CI, 0.08‒7.64) among those who received UV-B phototherapy relative to those who did not.

Likewise, the number of UV-B phototherapy sessions showed no association with an increased risk of skin cancer (aHR, 0.99, 95 percent CI, 0.96‒1.02), nonmelanoma skin cancer (aHR, 0.99, 95 percent CI, 0.96‒1.03), or cutaneous melanoma (aHR, 0.94, 95 percent CI, 0.77‒1.15).

“Neither UV-B phototherapy nor the number of UV-B phototherapy sessions was associated with an increased risk of skin cancers among patients with AD,” the researchers said.

The study was limited by its retrospective design.

“UV-B phototherapy is a common treatment modality for patients with AD, but its long-term safety in terms of cutaneous carcinogenic risk has not been studied,” according to the researchers.