title: Population-based, case-control-family design to investigate genetic and environmental influences on melanoma risk: Australian Melanoma Family Study.
abstract: Discovering and understanding genetic risk factors for melanoma and their interactions with phenotype, sun exposure, and other risk factors could lead to new strategies for melanoma control. This paper describes the Australian Melanoma Family Study, which uses a multicenter, population-based, case-control-family design. From 2001 to 2005, the authors recruited 1,164 probands including 629 cases with histopathologically confirmed, first-primary cutaneous melanoma diagnosed before age 40 years, 240 population-based controls frequency matched for age, and 295 spouse/friend controls. Information on lifetime sun exposure, phenotype, and residence history was collected for probands and nearly 4,000 living relatives. More than 3,000 subjects donated a blood sample. Proxy-reported information was collected for childhood sun exposure and deceased relatives. Important features of this study include the population-based, family-based design; a focus on early onset disease; probands from 3 major cities differing substantially in solar ultraviolet exposure and melanoma incidence; a population at high risk because of high ultraviolet exposure and susceptible pigmentation phenotypes; population-based, spouse/friend, and sibling controls; systematic recruitment of relatives of case and control probands; self and parent reports of childhood sun exposure; and objective clinical skin examinations. The authors discuss methodological and analytical issues related to the study design and conduct, as well as the potentially novel insights the study can deliver.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Molecular, Environmental, Genetic, and Analytic Epidemiology, School of Population Health, The University of Melbourne, Level 1, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. aecust@unimelb.edu.au
authors.forename: Anne E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Cust
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schmid
authors.forename: Judith A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Maskiell
authors.forename: Jodie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jetann
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferguson
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Holland
authors.forename: Chantelle
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Agha-Hamilton
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Jenkins
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.forename: Richard F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Kefford
authors.forename: Graham G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Giles
authors.forename: Bruce K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Armstrong
authors.forename: Joanne F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Aitken
authors.forename: John L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Hopper
authors.forename: Graham J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Mann
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013472:Sunlight / Q000009:adverse effects; D055815:Young Adult