Malignant melanoma and oral contraceptive use among women in California

Abstract

Summary.-Women who had used oral contraceptives, particularly long-term users, were found to have higher rates of malignant melanoma and of a past history of skin cancer than those who had never used oral contraceptives. This excess was confined to lesions of the lower limb. The association between oral contraceptive use and melanoma was noted in 3 separate sets of data, although it was statistically significant only in one. The possibility that this relationship is indirect because, for example, oral contraceptive users are more likely than never-users to be exposed to sunlight and thus to develop malignant melanoma, cannot be excluded.

Oral contraceptive use and malignant melanoma in Australia

“…Data on the use of female sex hormones, other than oral contraceptives, also tends to show a weak association with melanoma. In California the relative risk associated with other oestrogen use was 1.8 (Beral et al, 1977); in Washington State it was approximately 1.0 (Holly et al, 1983); in Percentages in parentheses. England, 1.4 (Adam et al, 1981), and in our study the figure was 1.6.…”

“…Most reported a weak association or none at all for melanoma and ever having used oral contraceptives. In contrast, however, all four which examined data on prolonged oral contraceptive use reported an increased risk associated with long term pill use (Beral et al, 1977;Adam et al, 1981;Bain et al, 1982;Holly et al, 1983), although the increase was not always statistically significant. We report here the findings of a case control study carried out in New South Wales, Australia, designed to examine these relationships.…”

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(Beral et al, 1977;Adam et al, 1981;Bain et al, 1982;Holly et al, 1983), although the increase was not always statistically significant. We report here the findings of a case control study carried out in New South Wales, Australia, designed to examine these relationships.

Methods

The study design has been described elsewhere (Beral et al, 1982

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“…A number of recent studies have reported on the relationship between past oral contraceptive use and malignant melanoma (Beral et al, 1977;Ramcharan et al, 1981;Adam et al, 1981;Kay, 1981;Bain et al, 1982;Holly et al, 1983). Most reported a weak association or none at all for melanoma and ever having used oral contraceptives.…”

Cutaneous malignant melanoma in women: exogenous sex hormones and reproductive factors

“…At least six studies have examined the relationship of melanoma to oral contraceptives (OCP) and other oestrogenic preparations (Beral et al, 1977;Ramcharan et al, 1981 Kay, 1981;Bain et al, 1982;Helmrich et al, 1983 unpublished;Holly et al, 1983). In one of the two positive studies a specific association was observed between OCP use and superficial spreading melanoma, but apparently not with other histogenetic subtypes (Holly et al, 1983).…”