title: Cigarette smoking and the risk of incident and fatal melanoma in a large prospective cohort study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Previous studies suggest that smoking may be inversely associated with risk of melanoma. We attempted to replicate this finding using data from the Cancer Prevention Study II (CPS-II) and CPS-II Nutrition cohort, two large prospective cohort studies of cancer mortality and incidence, respectively, with long-term follow-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to examine the association between smoking status and risk of melanoma mortality and incidence among Caucasians in these cohorts. Analyses were adjusted by age, occupation, latitude and educational status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence rate of melanoma was lower in current than never smokers in both men [hazard ratio (HR): 0.70, 95% confidence interval (CI): (0.48-1.02)] and women [0.50 (0.30-0.83)]; incidence was not lower in former than in never smokers for either sex. The death rate from melanoma was lower in male current than never smokers [0.77 (0.62-0.94)], and in male and female former smokers [0.86 (0.73-1.01)] and [0.83 (0.65-1.06)], respectively. No trends in incidence or mortality were observed in male or female current smokers with years of smoking or cigarettes per day.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides limited support for the hypothesis that smoking reduces melanoma risk. The inconsistent results by smoking status and lack of clear dose-response relationships weaken the evidence for causality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology Research, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: John Oliver
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: DeLancey
authors.forename: Lindsay M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Hannan
authors.forename: Susan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Gapstur
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Thun
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality; D008875:Middle Aged; D009026:Mortality; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology*