title: Diet and melanoma in a case-control study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Malignant melanoma has been one of the most rapidly increasing cancers within the United States with few modifiable risk factors. This study investigates risk related to dietary factors, which are potentially modifiable.
  
  
  METHODS
  Newly diagnosed patients with melanoma (n = 502) were recruited from pigment lesion clinics and controls (n = 565) were recruited from outpatient clinics. To investigate the relationship between melanoma and dietary factors in this case-control study, study subjects were requested to complete a food frequency questionnaire, which assessed diet over the previous year. Using logistic regression, odds ratios (ORs) for melanoma were computed for nutrient and alcohol intake.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Persons in high versus low quintiles of energy-adjusted vitamin D, alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, cryptoxanthin, lutein, and lycopene had significantly reduced risk for melanoma (ORs < or = 0.67), which remained after adjustment for presence of dysplastic nevi, education, and skin response to repeated sun exposure. Addition of micronutrients from supplements did not add an additional reduction in risk. High alcohol consumption was associated with an increased risk for melanoma, which remained after adjustment for confounders [OR (95% confidence interval) in highest versus lowest quintiles, 1.65 (1.09-2.49)].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Diets consisting of foods rich in vitamin D and carotenoids and low in alcohol may be associated with a reduction in risk for melanoma. These analyses should be repeated in large, prospective studies.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-7344, USA. millena@mail.nih.gov
authors.forename: Amy E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Millen
authors.forename: Margaret A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Tucker
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hartge
authors.forename: Allan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Halpern
authors.forename: David E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Elder
authors.forename: DuPont
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Guerry
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Holly
authors.forename: Richard W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Sagebiel
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Potischman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004032:Diet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004034:Diet Surveys; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019787:Linoleic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000032:analysis; D008875:Middle Aged; D015143:Philadelphia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012495:San Francisco / Q000453:epidemiology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013472:Sunlight / Q000009:adverse effects; D014815:Vitamins / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D018977:Micronutrients; D014815:Vitamins; D002338:Carotenoids; D019787:Linoleic Acid