title: Serum dehydroepiandrosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and risk of melanoma or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its analogs have potent chemoprotective actions in mouse skin tumorigenesis models. To assess this association in humans, we investigated the relationship of prediagnostic serum concentrations of DHEA and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) to the subsequent risk of developing malignant melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin in residents of Washington County, Maryland, USA.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a nested case-control study, serum that had been stored in 1974 was thawed and assayed for DHEA and DHEAS for 23 cases of malignant melanoma and 28 cases of squamous cell carcinoma and 1-2 matched controls per case.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean serum concentrations of DHEA or DHEAS were similar in cases and controls. There were no statistically significant trends in the risk of developing malignant melanoma or squamous cell skin cancer by concentration of either steroid (all p-for-trends >0.30).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study do not support the hypothesis that physiological concentrations of DHEA or DHEAS protect against skin cancer in humans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Alberg
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Genkinger
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Hoffman
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Selvin
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Comstock
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Helzlsouer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000097:blood*; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate