Epidemiology

Plasma levels of polychlorinated biphenyls and risk of cutaneous malignant melanoma: a preliminary study

  1. Richard P. Gallagher1,2,3,*,
  2. Amy C. MacArthur4,
  3. Tim K. Lee1,3,5,
  4. Jean-Philippe Weber6,
  5. Alain Leblanc6,
  6. J. Mark Elwood1,
  7. Marilyn Borugian1,2,
  8. Zenaida Abanto1,
  9. John J. Spinelli1,2

Article first published online: 9 JUN 2010

DOI: 10.1002/ijc.25503

Issue

International Journal of Cancer

International Journal of Cancer

Volume 128, Issue 8, pages 1872–1880, 15 April 2011

Additional Information

How to Cite

Gallagher, R. P., MacArthur, A. C., Lee, T. K., Weber, J.-P., Leblanc, A., Mark Elwood, J., Borugian, M., Abanto, Z. and Spinelli, J. J. (2011), Plasma levels of polychlorinated biphenyls and risk of cutaneous malignant melanoma: a preliminary study. International Journal of Cancer, 128: 1872–1880. doi: 10.1002/ijc.25503

Author Information

  1. 1

    Cancer Control Research Program, BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver, BC, Canada

  2. 2

    School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

  3. 3

    Department of Dermatology and Skin Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

  4. 4

    Planning and Evaluation Division, Region of Waterloo Public Health, Waterloo, Canada

  5. 5

    Department of Computing Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, BC, Canada

  6. 6

    Centre de Toxicologie, Institut National de Sante Publique du Quebec, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC, Canada

*BC Cancer Agency, 675 West 10th Avenue, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L3, Canada

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 22 FEB 2011
  2. Article first published online: 9 JUN 2010
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 14 MAY 2010
  4. Manuscript Received: 19 OCT 2009

Funded by

  • Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Grant Numbers: MOP-POP-171544, 9809 OP-40454
  • Canadian Cancer Society
  • Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research

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Keywords:

  • melanoma;
  • epidemiology;
  • risk factor;
  • PCB organochlorines;
  • case–control study

Abstract

A number of epidemiologic studies have suggested that exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) and other organochlorine compounds (OCC) increase risk of cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM). However, these studies have generally had no biologic measure of OCC exposure, and have been unable to control for sun exposure, the major known environmental risk factor for this disease. This preliminary study examined the relationship between OCC residues in plasma and risk of CMM adjusting for sun sensitivity and sun exposure. A case–control study of 80 CMM patients and 310 control subjects was conducted. Lifetime sun exposure information, along with data on pigmentation variables and sun sensitivity data was collected, along with a blood sample. Cases and controls were assayed for plasma levels of 14 PCB congeners and 11 organochlorine pesticide residues using gas chromatography. Strong associations were seen between risk of CMM and plasma levels of non-dioxin-like PCBs (Adjusted OR = 7.02; 95% CI: 2.30–21.43 for highest quartile) and several PCB congeners, organochlorine pesticides or metabolites. These associations persisted after control for sun sensitivity and sun exposure. Results from this investigation require independent confirmation in larger studies. However, they suggest that environmental factors other than UV radiation may play a role in genesis of CMM, and indicate that it may be productive to search for further agents which might increase risk.

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