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Epidemiology of Malignant Melanoma pp 108–117Cite as

Cutaneous Melanoma and Oral Contraceptives: A Review of Case-Control and Cohort Studies

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Part of the book series: Recent Results in Cancer Research ((RECENTCANCER,volume 102))

Abstract

There is biological evidence for the hypothesis that the frequency of malignant melanoma is influenced by hormonal or reproductive factors. Estrogen receptors have been found in human malignant melanoma cells, though the percent age that are estrogen positive varies considerably by study (Creagan et al. 1980; Fisher et al. 1976). Estrogens and progesterone together or estrogen alone increase the number of melanocytes and the intracellular and extracellular melanin content in guinea pigs (Snell and Bischitz 1960). Ultraviolet light exposure causes darkening of the skin pigment and is believed to play a role in the etiology of melanoma (Holman and Armstrong 1984). Estrogens, whether administered topically (Jadassohn 1958), used to relieve menopausal symptoms (Hamilton 1939), or taken for contraception, can also produce hyperpigmentation, the degree of darkening increasing with duration of use (Carruthers 1966).

The work reported in this paper was supported in part by NCl grants CA 34382 and CA 19408

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Abbreviations

MM :

malignant melanoma

SSM :

superficial spreading melanoma

NM :

nodular melanoma

OC :

oral contraceptives

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Northern California Cancer Program, P.O. Box 10144, Palo Alto, CA, 94303, USA

    E. A. Holly

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  1. E. A. Holly
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Cancer Control Agency of British Columbia, 600 West 10th Avenue, V5Z 4E6, Vancouver, B.C., Canada

    Richard P. Gallagher M.A.

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© 1986 Springer-Verlag Berlin · Heidelberg

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Holly, E.A. (1986). Cutaneous Melanoma and Oral Contraceptives: A Review of Case-Control and Cohort Studies. In: Gallagher, R.P. (eds) Epidemiology of Malignant Melanoma. Recent Results in Cancer Research, vol 102. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-82641-2_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-82641-2_8

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-82643-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-82641-2

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