Identifying Factors Responsible for Sex Disparities in Melanoma Etiology
Abstract
This project is responsive to the Fiscal Year 2021 Melanoma Research Program Challenge Statement and will focus on the sex differences in melanoma. Men have a higher risk for melanoma and worse outcomes, both in military and civilian populations. Although some of the factors explaining this are related to lifestyle and environmental exposures, there are strong reasons to investigate genetic and hormonal effects that also have an important role. If we can identify these underlying factors and find those that seem to protect women, we can exploit them to improve melanoma risk and prognosis for men and make more specific recommendations for prevention in both men and women. Sex differences in cancer are only beginning to be investigated, as more awareness of sex as a biological factor has come to the forefront. For melanoma, a cancer that is rising across the board worldwide, no studies have been addressing these disparities, which is a missed opportunity for improving outcomes for both men and women. One important and often overlooked fact is that men and women have different sex chromosomes, i.e., XX for females and XY for males. These chromosomes contain genes that are expressed in every tissue and contribute to many sex differences in health and disease. We hypothesize that genetic factors linked to the sex chromosomes contribute to the sex differences in melanoma, and our studies are innovative in proposing to identify genes and mechanisms responsible for those disparities. Military personnel are at increased risk of melanoma due to their demographics (majority male), but both men and women have higher risk than the general population because of military service-related sun exposure. In addition, increased risk may apply due to exposure to other cosmic radiations that have demonstrated immune function impacts. Still, military men show a sharper rise in melanoma incidence than military women and the general population. The proposed studies will identify novel sex-specific genetic factors responsible for this disparity, yielding useful sex-specific biomarkers and prognostic factors for military personnel, their beneficiaries, and, importantly, the general population. This proposal is innovative in both scope and topic and will result in a major leap forward in understanding sex disparities in melanoma. It has already opened up a wealth of new questions that will lead to new avenues of research. Results will identify novel biomarkers with the potential to eventually contribute vital sex-aware prevention and therapeutic strategies.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Dec 28, 2022
- Source ID
- W81XWH2210496
Entities
People
- Nora Engel
Organizations
- Temple University
- United States Army