Cutaneous malignant melanoma in women is uncommonly associated with a family history of melanoma in first-degree relatives: a case-control study.
Sun exposure is the principal cause of malignant melanoma, but other risk factors may be important. During their reproductive years women are at a greater risk for melanoma than men. We performed an age-matched case-control study of cutaneous malignant melanoma in 159 women attending a single oncology clinic in Montreal. A reported family history of cutaneous malignant melanoma in first-degree relatives was associated with a significantly increased risk of melanoma (adjusted relative risk: 4.28, P = 0.046). No subject was a member of a hereditary melanoma family (three or more cases of melanoma in first-degree relatives). As expected, variables related to sun exposure were also strong determinants of risk. Height was a significant risk factor, but the difference between the mean heights of cases and controls was only 2 cm (P = 0.009). The age of menarche of cases was lower than in controls (mean 12.70 and 13.08 years respectively, P = 0.036) but there was no significant elevation in risk associated with other reproductive variables. This study suggests that a family history of malignant melanoma is a significant risk factor, but that hereditary melanoma may be less common than is currently believed.
Cutler
C
C
Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal General Hospital, Quebec, Canada.
Foulkes
W D
WD
Brunet
J S
JS
Flanders
T Y
TY
Shibata
H
H
Narod
S A
SA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001827:Body Height; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000235:genetics*; D008572:Menarche; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*