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. 2015 Dec;39(6):1078-83.
doi: 10.1016/j.canep.2015.09.005. Epub 2015 Sep 14.

Family history of skin cancer is associated with early-onset basal cell carcinoma independent of MC1R genotype

Nicholas L Berlin  1 , Brenda Cartmel  2 , David J Leffell  3 , Allen E Bale  3 , Susan T Mayne  2 , Leah M Ferrucci  4
Affiliations

Family history of skin cancer is associated with early-onset basal cell carcinoma independent of MC1R genotype

Nicholas L Berlin et al. Cancer Epidemiol. 2015 Dec.

Abstract

Background: As a marker of genetic susceptibility and shared lifestyle characteristics, family history of cancer is often used to evaluate an individual's risk for developing a particular malignancy. With comprehensive data on pigment characteristics, lifestyle factors, and melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) gene sequence, we sought to clarify the role of family history of skin cancer in early-onset basal cell carcinoma (BCC).

Materials and methods: Early onset BCC cases (n=376) and controls with benign skin conditions (n=383) under age 40 were identified through Yale dermatopathology. Self-report data on family history of skin cancer (melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer), including age of onset in relatives, was available from a structured interview. Participants also provided saliva samples for sequencing of MC1R.

Results: A family history of skin cancer was associated with an increased risk of early-onset BCC (OR 2.49, 95% CI 1.80-3.45). In multivariate models, family history remained a strong risk factor for early-onset BCC after adjustment for pigment characteristics, UV exposure, and MC1R genotype (OR 2.41, 95% CI 1.74-3.35).

Conclusions: Risk for BCC varied based upon the type and age of onset of skin cancer among affected relatives; individuals with a first-degree relative diagnosed with skin cancer prior to age 50 were at highest risk for BCC (OR 4.79, 95% CI 2.90-7.90). Even after taking into account potential confounding effects of MC1R genotype and various lifestyle factors that close relatives may share, family history of skin cancer remained strongly associated with early-onset BCC.

Keywords: Basal cell carcinoma; Epidemiology; Family history; Skin cancer.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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