FREE NEJM E-TOC    HOME   |   SUBSCRIBE   |   CURRENT ISSUE   |   PAST ISSUES   |   COLLECTIONS   |   Search Term  Advanced Search

Sign in | Get NEJM's E-Mail Table of Contents — Free | Subscribe

Previous Volume 313:789-792 September 26, 1985 Number 13 Next

	Add to Personal Archive Add to Citation Manager Notify a Friend E-mail When Cited PubMed Citation

Abstract

In a case-control study, we compared 444 patients with intraocular malignant melanoma with matched controls to evaluate the role of exposure to ultraviolet radiation and other risk factors in the pathogenesis of this tumor. Persons born in the southern United States had a relative risk of 2.7 (95 per cent confidence interval, 1.3 to 5.9) as compared with those born in the North. Subjects with brown eyes were protected as compared with those with blue eyes (relative risk, 0.6; 95 per cent confidence interval, 0.4 to 0.8), but complexion and hair color were not important risk factors. Patients with intraocular malignant melanoma were also more likely to have spent time outdoors in their gardens, to have sunbathed, and to have used sunlamps. Rarely wearing hats, visors, or sunglasses while in the sun was a risk factor for the disease (relative risk, 1.9; 95 per cent confidence interval, 1.6 to 2.2). These data suggest that sunlight exposure is an important risk factor for intraocular melanoma.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• O'Connell, E. D, Nolan, J. M, Stack, J., Greenberg, D., Kyle, J., Maddock, L., Beatty, S. (2008). Diet and risk factors for age-related maculopathy. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 87: 712-722 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Merhavi, E., Cohen, Y., Avraham, B. C. R., Frenkel, S., Chowers, I., Pe'er, J., Goldenberg-Cohen, N. (2007). Promoter Methylation Status of Multiple Genes in Uveal Melanoma. IOVS 48: 4403-4406 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Bergman, L., Nilsson, B., Ragnarsson-Olding, B., Seregard, S. (2006). Uveal Melanoma: A Study on Incidence of Additional Cancers in the Swedish Population. IOVS 47: 72-77 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Weis, E., Shah, C. P., Lajous, M., Shields, J. A., Shields, C. L. (2006). The Association Between Host Susceptibility Factors and Uveal Melanoma: A Meta-analysis. Arch Ophthalmol 124: 54-60 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Harbour, J W, Brantley, M A Jr, Hollingsworth, H, Gordon, M (2004). Association between choroidal pigmentation and posterior uveal melanoma in a white population. Br J Ophthalmol 88: 39-43 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Hurst, E. A., Harbour, J. W., Cornelius, L. A. (2003). Ocular Melanoma: A Review and the Relationship to Cutaneous Melanoma. Arch Dermatol 139: 1067-1073 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Cohen, Y., Goldenberg-Cohen, N., Parrella, P., Chowers, I., Merbs, S. L., Pe'er, J., Sidransky, D. (2003). Lack of BRAF Mutation in Primary Uveal Melanoma. IOVS 44: 2876-2878 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Bergman, L., Seregard, S., Nilsson, B., Ringborg, U., Lundell, G., Ragnarsson-Olding, B. (2002). Incidence of Uveal Melanoma in Sweden from 1960 to 1998. IOVS 43: 2579-2583 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Metzelaar-Blok, J. A. W., ter Huurne, J. A. C., Hurks, H. M. H., Keunen, J. E. E., Jager, M. J., Gruis, N. A. (2001). Characterization of Melanocortin-1 Receptor Gene Variants in Uveal Melanoma Patients. IOVS 42: 1951-1954 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• (2001). Evidence for the Role of Sunlight Exposure in the Etiology of Choroidal Melanoma. Arch Ophthalmol 119: 430-431 [Full Text]  
• Li, W., Judge, H., Gragoudas, E. S., Seddon, J. M., Egan, K. M. (2000). Patterns of Tumor Initiation in Choroidal Melanoma. Cancer Res. 60: 3757-3760 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Lee, S.-B., Eong, K.-G. A., Saw, S.-M., Chan, T.-K., Lee, H.-P. (2000). Eye cancer incidence in Singapore. Br J Ophthalmol 84: 767-770 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• LUTZ, J-M, CREE, I A, FOSS, A J (1999). Risk factors for intraocular melanoma and occupational exposure. Br J Ophthalmol 83: 1190-1193 [Full Text]  
• Regan, S., Judge, H. E., Gragoudas, E. S., Egan, K. M. (1999). Iris Color as a Prognostic Factor in Ocular Melanoma. Arch Ophthalmol 117: 811-814 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Ganley, J. P., Fontenot, K. (1997). Epidemiologic Study of Time and Space Clustering of 4 Cases of Choroidal Malignant Melanoma. Arch Ophthalmol 115: 537-541 [Abstract]  
• Singh, A. D., Shields, C. L., De Potter, P., Shields, J. A., Trock, B., Cater, J., Pastore, D. (1996). Familial Uveal Melanoma: Clinical Observations on 56 Patients. Arch Ophthalmol 114: 392-399 [Abstract]  
• Dolin, P. (1995). Use of sunbeds increases risk of intraocular malignant melanoma. BMJ 311: 573b-573 [Full Text]  
• Seddon, J. M., Gragoudas, E. S., Glynn, R. J., Egan, K. M., Albert, D. M., Blitzer, P. H. (1990). Host Factors, UV Radiation, and Risk of Uveal Melanoma: A Case-Control Study. Arch Ophthalmol 108: 1274-1280 [Abstract]  
• Johnson, M. W., Skuta, G. L., Kincaid, M. C., Nelson, C. C., Wolter, J. R. (1989). Malignant Melanoma of the Iris in Xeroderma Pigmentosum. Arch Ophthalmol 107: 402-407 [Abstract]