The interaction between Vitamin D Receptor polymorphisms and sun exposure around time of diagnosis influences melanoma survival

Abstract

Evidence on the relationship between the vitamin D pathway and outcomes in melanoma is growing, although it is not always clear. We investigated the impact of measured levels of sun exposure at diagnosis on associations of vitamin D receptor gene (VDR) polymorphisms and melanoma-death in 3336 incident primary melanoma cases.

Interactions between six SNPs and a common 3' end haplotype were significant (p<0.05). These SNPs, and a haplotype, had a statistically significant association with survival among subjects exposed to high UVB in multivariable regression models, and exerted their effect in the opposite direction among those with low UVB. SNPs rs1544410/BsmI and rs731236/TaqI remained significant after adjustment for multiple testing.

These results suggest that the association between VDR and melanoma-specific survival is modified by sun exposure around diagnosis, and require validation in an independent study. Whether the observed effects are dependent or independent of vitamin D activation, remains to be determined.

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