There is a well-described association between UV radiation exposure from the sun and the development of melanoma. The development of melanoma independent of sun exposure has only recently been described in mice.
So what is the association between melanocortin-1 (MC1R) receptor and melanoma risk in humans after controlling for sun exposure?
An article published online by JAMA Dermatology by Judith Wendt, M.D., Ph.D., of the Medical University of Vienna, Austria, and coauthors details a hospital-based study they conducted that included genetic testing, questionnaires and other data among 991 patients with melanoma and 800 control patients for comparison.
The study findings suggest carriers of MC1R variants were at higher risk of melanoma independent of their sun exposure.
"Further studies are required to better elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying melanoma development under altered MC1R function," the study concludes.
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Please visit the For The Media website to read the whole study and an accompanying editorial by Elisabeth M. Roider, M.D., and David E. Fisher, M.D., Ph.D., of the Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston. On the website, you can also preview the podcast with Dr. Fisher.
(JAMA Dermatology. Published online March 2, 2016. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2016.0050. Available pre-embargo to the media at http://media.jamanetwork.com.)
Editor's Note: The article contains funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.
Media Advisory: To contact corresponding study author Judith Wendt, M.D., Ph.D., email Judith.wendt@meduniwien.ac.at. To contact editorial corresponding author David E. Fisher, M.D., Ph.D., call Terri Ogan at 617-726-0954 or email togan@partners.org.
Journal
JAMA Dermatology