Prostate cancer risk in patients with melanoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis

The risk of prostate cancer in melanoma patients has been frequently assessed. However, a comprehensive meta-analysis specifically examining this association is lacking. Our aim was to quantify the risk of prostate cancer in melanoma patients based on the available evidence.

A systematic review of the existing literature was performed in PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane databases by two authors independently. Studies reporting the effect size in the form of standardized incidence ratio (SIR) were used for quantitative analyses.

Of 17 studies included in the review, a total of 15 studies with 282 592 male melanoma patients were used for the analysis. Random-effects meta-analysis found a 24% increased risk (SIR = 1.24, 95% confidence interval 1.18 to 1.30) of prostate cancer in melanoma patients compared to the general population, with a prediction interval of 1.05 to 1.45. The risk was consistently significant for various geographical regions and latitude. Heterogeneity was significant (I²  = 75%).

These results suggest that the incidence of prostate cancer is significantly higher in patients with melanoma compared to the general population.