ABSTRACT
Acromegaly is a serious disease that affects the pituitary gland causing unusual growth in patients. There are various dental manifestation of the condition and it is plausible that a dentist will be the first to recognize the problem. This article describes the disease and the dental implications for patients who have it.
Subject(s)
Acromegaly/complications , Stomatognathic Diseases/etiology , Algorithms , Humans , Stomatognathic Diseases/diagnosis , Stomatognathic Diseases/therapyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Malignant melanoma is the third most common skin cancer in the United States. It is commonly thought that sun exposure is causative in these tumors. Recently, however, the significance of the role of sun exposure in melanoma has come into question. Some have suggested that other factors, such as genetics, play a larger role, and that sun protection may even be harmful. OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: To investigate the role of sun exposure in melanoma etiology. An extensive review of basic science and clinical literature on this subject was conducted. RESULTS: Although exceptions exist, sun exposure likely plays a large role in most melanomas. The pattern of this exposure, however, is not fully known, and controversy exists, especially in the use of sunscreens. Sun exposure may interact with genetic factors to cause melanomas, and sun protective measures appear to be prudent. CONCLUSIONS: The cause of melanoma is probably variable and multifactorial. Sun exposure may play a primary or supporting role in most melanoma tumors.
