Wendt J, et al. - Since carriers of the red hair variants of MC1R variants are at increased risk of melanoma, authors gauged the role of the red hair variants of MC1R in melanoma risk in males and females separately. Findings suggested a different contribution of the MC1R variants to melanoma risk in males and females. The melanoma risk factors between the sexes could be better classified with this.

Methods

• In this hospital-based, case-control study, experts assessed the impact of MC1R and melanoma risk for males and females separately by performing multivariate logistic regression analyses.
• Association of MC1R variants and melanoma risk in males and females were the main outcomes and measures.

Results

• A total of 905 females (473 melanoma cases, 432 controls) and 886 males (518 melanoma cases, 368 controls) were included in the analyses.
• As per data, 59.2 (15.6) was the mean (SD) age of the study population.
• Results demonstrated that in a multivariable analysis (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 2.19 [95% CI, 1.60-2.99]) females, carrying any MC1R red hair variants remained an independent risk factor of melanoma, while in males, only signs of actinic skin damage (lentigines on the back [OR, 2.56; 95% CI, 1.47-4.45;P=.001] and the hands [OR, 2.31; 95% CI, 1.24-4.29;P=.008] and wrinkling on the neck [OR, 2.17; 95% CI, 1.23-3.82;P=.007]) and sunburns (OR, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.12-2.42;P=.01) remained significant risk factors.