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Most genetic susceptibility to cutaneous melanoma remains to be discovered. Meta-analysis genome-wide association study (GWAS) of 36,760 cases of melanoma (67% newly genotyped) and 375,188 controls identified 54 significant (P -8) loci with 68 independent single nucleotide polymorphisms. Analysis of risk estimates across geographical regions and host factors suggests the acral melanoma subtype is uniquely unrelated to pigmentation. Combining this meta-analysis with GWAS of nevus count and hair color, and transcriptome association approaches, uncovered 31 potential secondary loci for a total of 85 cutaneous melanoma susceptibility loci. These findings provide insights into cutaneous melanoma genetic architecture, reinforcing the importance of nevogenesis, pigmentation and telomere maintenance, together with identifying potential new pathways for cutaneous melanoma pathogenesis.

Original publication

DOI

10.1038/s41588-020-0611-8

Type

Journal article

Journal

Nature genetics

Publication Date

05/2020

Volume

52

Pages

494 - 504

Addresses

Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA. landim@mail.nih.gov.

Keywords

GenoMEL Consortium, Q-MEGA and QTWIN Investigators, ATHENS Melanoma Study Group, 23andMe, SDH Study Group, IBD Investigators, Essen-Heidelberg Investigators, AMFS Investigators, MelaNostrum Consortium, Humans, Melanoma, Skin Neoplasms, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Pigmentation, Genotype, Phenotype, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide, Female, Male, Genome-Wide Association Study, Genetic Loci