Association Between Melanoma Risk and Height: A Narrative Review

Gino A. Vena; Nicoletta Cassano; Stefano Caccavale; Giuseppe Argenziano

doi:10.5826/dpc.0902a02

Association Between Melanoma Risk and Height: A Narrative Review

Authors

Gino A. Vena Dermatology and Venereology Private Practice, Bari, Italy
Nicoletta Cassano Dermatology and Venereology Private Practice, Barletta, Italy
Stefano Caccavale Dermatology Unit, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Naples, Italy
Giuseppe Argenziano Dermatology Unit, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Naples, Italy

Keywords:

cutaneous melanoma, height, cancer, risk, association

Abstract

The link between anthropometric indices, including height, and cancer risk and/or progression has attracted considerable interest in recent years. Adult height results from the complex interplay between genetic, hormonal, nutritional, and other environmental factors and has been found to contribute to the risk of several selected malignancies, although it has not been implicated as a real cause per se. A number of studies have investigated the height-melanoma relationship, showing controversial results so far. In this review, we summarize the epidemiological data regarding the association between height and melanoma risk and analyze the potential underlying mechanisms.

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