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  • Title: Hormonal and reproductive factors in melanoma risk.
    Author: Osterlind A.
    Journal: Clin Dermatol; 1992; 10(1):75-8. PubMed ID: 1504931.
    Abstract:
    In the late 1970s, a study of women in California found a positive association between oral contraceptive (OC) use and the risk of malignant melanoma of the skin, but this association was insignificant. A later study in the UK reported excess malignant melanomas in premenopausal women. Other studies showed benign hyperpigmentation during pregnancy and OC use and following menopausal estrogen replacement and topical estrogen treatment. All these aforementioned studies fueled a concern that female hormones increased the risk of malignant melanoma of the skin. Yet, data since 1980 do not suggest such a relationship. For example, none of 10 case control studies in industrialized countries revealed a significant association between OC use and the risk of melanoma. Further, data do not demonstrate a significant trend between duration of OC use and increased risk of melanoma. The Walnut Creek Contraceptive Drug Study in California began in 1968 and has found a 3.5 times increased risk of melanoma in ever users of OCs, but there was no dose-effect relationship. Besides, OC users exposed themselves more often to the sun (a risk factor for skin melanoma) than never users. 2 prospective studies in the UK, also begun in 1968, have revealed that ever users of OCs and never users have the same risk for skin melanoma. Limited data do not support an association between exogenous female hormones and increased risk of skin melanoma. 6 case control studies also do not support an increased risk of skin melanoma and menstrual and reproductive factors. In fact, a study in Canada suggests high parity is protective. Therefore, health workers can reassure patients that OCs, number of live births, and postmenopausal estrogen therapy do not increase the likelihood of them developing skin melanoma.
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