The Causes of Malignant Melanoma: Results from the West Australian Lions Melanoma Research Project

In Australia malignant melanoma ranks forth among cancers as a cause of morbidity and premature death (Armstrong 1985). For this reason, and because the State of Western Australia has one of the highest incidence rates of melanoma in the world (Holman et al. 1980), we undertook a multidisciplinary research program embracing the epidemiology, histopathology, and clinical management of melanoma. A major component of our research was a population-based case-control study in which constitutional traits, sunlight exposure, hormones, diet and other possible causal factors were evaluated. We have already published several reports of the results relating to particular subject areas (Holman and Armstrong 1983, 1984 a, b; Holman et al. 1984 b, 1985; English et al. 1985). In this report we aim to bring together in summary form the key results of the project to date and to present new data on diet and other factors.