Association between Artificial Light at Night Exposure and breast and prostate cancer risk – the review

Abstract

Introduction and purpose: Light is one of the defining features of life on the Earth, allowing certain biological processes to be subordinated to its presence and absence. With the introduction of artificial light, the human natural biological clock was dysregulated. Apart from that, the studies showed a connection between exposure to artificial light at night (ALAN) and carcinogenesis. The aim of this review was to present currently available knowledge in the online database PubMed about Association Between Artificial Light at Night and Breast and Prostate Cancer Risk Brief description of the state of knowledge: The article covers clinical and population-based control studies which indicate to ALAN exposure can lead to increased incidence of breast and prostate cancer by disruption of circadian rhythms in several mechanisms involving suppression of melatonin production, dysregulation of sleep–activity pattern and disruption of circadian genes. Conclusions: The review support an assumption that breast and prostate cancer incidence is a consequence of ALAN exposure. Further studies should clarify the relationship between ALAN exposure and other types of cancer. Besides, ALAN exposure levels should be measured more precisely than by satellite pictures analysis to reliably conduct studies proving the relation between ALAN exposure and risk of cancer development.