The Association of Cutaneous and Iris Nevi with Uveal Melanoma: A Meta-analysis
Received 25 April 2008; received in revised form 6 October 2008; accepted 8 October 2008. published online 22 January 2009.
Purpose
To study the relationship between cutaneous and iris nevi with uveal melanoma.
Design
Meta-analysis.
Methods
Three researchers independently searched the literature using Medline from 1966 to August 2007 (with both Ovid and PubMed), EMBASE, MD Consult, and the Web of Science. All bibliographies were searched, and an attempt to contact all primary authors was made to find further unpublished studies.
Main Outcome Measures
Risk factor data were extracted into 4 a priori groups: (1) atypical cutaneous nevi, (2) common cutaneous nevi, (3) cutaneous freckles, and (4) iris nevi.
Results
Meta-analysis of 4 studies (850 cases) examining atypical cutaneous nevi yielded a summary odds ratio (OR) of 2.82 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.10–7.26; P = 0.032). Common cutaneous nevi were reported in 4 studies (825 cases), yielding a summary OR of 1.74 (CI, 1.27–2.39; P = 0.001). Cutaneous freckles using 7 studies (2122 cases) found an OR of 1.22 (CI, 1.03–1.45; P = 0.022). Iris nevi using 4 studies (825 cases) found an OR of 1.53 (CI, 1.03–2.27; P = 0.036). There was no evidence of publication bias for the aforementioned risk factors, with the exception of atypical cutaneous nevi (P = 0.03).
Conclusions
This meta-analysis supports an association between uveal melanoma and atypical cutaneous nevi, common cutaneous nevi, cutaneous freckles, and iris nevi.
Financial Disclosure(s)
The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.
Available online: January 22, 2009.
1Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
2Department of Ophthalmology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
ABSTRACT