Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
10897398 | Cancer Epidemiology | 2013 | 6 Pages |
Abstract
Background: Telomeres help maintain chromosomal structure and may influence tumorigenesis. We examined the association between telomere length and skin cancer in a clinic-based case-control study of 198 melanoma cases, 136 squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cases, 185 basal cell carcinoma (BCC) cases, and 372 healthy controls. Methods: Cases were histologically confirmed patients treated at the Moffitt Cancer Center and University of South Florida Dermatology Clinic in Tampa, FL. Controls self-reported no history of cancer and underwent a skin cancer screening exam at study enrollment to rule out the presence of skin cancer. Quantitative real time PCR was used to measure telomere length in peripheral blood samples. Results: Melanoma patients had longer telomeres than controls (odds ratio (OR) = 3.75; 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.02-6.94 for highest versus lowest tertile) (P for trend = <0.0001). In contrast, longer telomere length was significantly inversely associated with SCC (OR = 0.01; 95% CI: 0.00-0.05 for highest versus lowest tertile) (P for trend = <0.0001) and BCC (OR = 0.10; 95% CI: 0.06-0.19 for highest versus lowest tertile) (P for trend = <0.0001). Conclusion: Telomere length may be involved in the development of skin cancer, although the effect on cancer risk differs for melanoma and non-melanoma carcinomas. Our findings suggest that long telomere length is positively associated with melanoma while inversely associated with SCC and BCC.
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Authors
Gabriella M. Anic, Vernon K. Sondak, Jane L. Messina, Neil A. Fenske, Jonathan S. Zager, Basil S. Cherpelis, Ji-Hyun Lee, William J. Fulp, Pearlie K. Epling-Burnette, Jong Y. Park, Dana E. Rollison,