Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma Incidences Analyzed Worldwide by Skin Type Over Advancing Age of Males and Females: Evidence Estrogen and Androgenic Hair Are Risk Factors

The study analyzed cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) incidences worldwide by age, sex, and skin type, finding that only European-ancestry populations showed exponential increases in CMM incidences. European-ancestry females exhibited a linear increase in CMM risk with age, while males of all races showed a power function increase. The researchers proposed that the loss of HPV-infected androgenic follicles during and after menopause in European-ancestry females reduces their CMM risk, unlike males who do not experience significant estrogen loss. The study suggested that estrogen may synergize with HPV infection in androgenic follicular melanocytes, significantly increasing CMM risk.