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| Using MC1R genotype to impact melanoma risk behavior | |
|---|---|
| Investigator (PI): | Kanetsky, Peter A |
| Performing Organization (PO): |
(Current): Moffitt Cancer Center / (813) 745-4673 |
| Supporting Agency (SA): | American Cancer Society |
| Initial Year: | 2015 |
| Final Year: | 2019 |
| Record Source/Award ID: | ACS/RSG-14-162-01 |
| Funding: | Total Award Amount: $1,650,750 |
| Award Type: | Grant |
| Abstract: | Malignant melanoma, a potentially fatal form of cancer that arises in skin cells that produce pigment, has been increasing in the United States over the past few decades. While 5-year survival for localized early stage disease is 98%, survival for regional disease drops to 62%, and again to 15% for distant disease. Although primary prevention and early detection behaviors such as sun protection and regular skin screening can potentially reduce risk of developing melanoma or shift disease detection to an early and more treatable stage, only a minority of the U.S. population engages in any form of sun protection or full body skin examination. Our goal is to reduce the number of new cases of melanoma and increase early identification and treatment of melanoma, resulting in greater survival from this disease. It is well established that individuals with "light" phenotype characteristics such as red hair color, burning after exposure to the sun, and freckling are at increased risk for developing melanoma. However, our prior research on the genetics of melanoma has shown that inheriting certain changes in the melanonocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) gene increases risk of melanoma, and that the risk associated with these gene changes is as great or greater in individuals who have 'dark' phenotype characteristics such as dark hair color, ability to tan well, and few freckles. In other words, individuals with dark characteristics who inherit MC1R risk variants are at increased risk for developing melanoma, although they might not realize their own risk and might not have been told about their risk of melanoma by friends, family, or physicians. In our proposal, we focus on this segment of the general population with darker complexions who may not know that they are at increased risk for melanoma. We seek to determine whether feedback of genetic information about inheritance of high-risk MC1R genotypes to persons with darker phenotype characteristics can impact upon their melanoma prevention behaviors. If our intervention proves successful at increasing melanoma prevention behaviors in this targeted population, we estimate that between 8% and 33% of all melanomas could be either prevented or detected at an early stage. Thus, our proposal has potential to greatly impact cancer control of melanoma through decreasing the overall number of cases of disease and increasing disease survival. |
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| Country: | United States |
| State: | Florida |
| Zip Code: | 33612 |
| UI: | 20163097 |
| Project Status: | Completed |