Male-pattern baldness (MPB) is linked to androgen dysregulation. A prior observed relationship between MPB and skin cancer might be due to increased UV exposure or androgenic pathways. Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis using genetic data from melanoma and keratinocyte cancer (KC) meta-analyses showed strong MPB-KC associations, but not with androgens. Univariable models revealed confounding by MPB SNPs in pigmentation pathways. Site-stratified MR analyses revealed strong associations between MPB with head and neck squamous carcinoma and melanoma, suggesting sun exposure on the scalp is the main driver. Hair covering may explain higher melanoma incidence in men in high-UV countries.
Publisher
Nature Communications
Published On
Oct 03, 2023
Authors
Jue-Sheng Ong, Mathias Seviiri, Jean Claude Dusinszky, Yeda Wu, Xikun Han, Jianxin Shi, Catherine M. Olsen, Rachel E. Neale, John F. Thompson, Robyn P. M. Saw, Kerwin F. Shannon, Graham J. Mann, Nicholas G. Martin, Sarah E. Medland, Scott D. Gordon, Richard A. Scolyer, Georgina V. Long, Mark M. Iles, Maria Teresa Landi, David C. Whiteman, Stuart MacGregor, Matthew H. Law
Tags
male-pattern baldness
skin cancer
androgen dysregulation
UV exposure
Mendelian randomization
Related Publications
Explore these studies to deepen your understanding of the subject.
