Exploring the relationship between total serum calcium and melanoma development: a cross-sectional study

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Biochemistry
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Melanoma is a significant cause of cancer mortality globally.
• Understanding melanoma risk factors is crucial for disease reduction.
• The role of serum calcium in melanoma development requires clarification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between total serum calcium levels and melanoma development.
• To assess the predictive performance of serum calcium and clinical factors for melanoma risk.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of melanoma patient data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database (2003–2006, 2009–2016).
• Statistical analysis including chi-square and rank-sum tests for baseline characteristics.
• Model construction to evaluate serum calcium's relationship with melanoma, assessed by ROC curves and LASSO regression.

Main Results:

• 13,432 participants were included; age, race, poverty, sun exposure response, sun protection behaviors, and arthritis were correlated with melanoma.
• Total serum calcium levels showed a statistically significant inverse relationship with melanoma development (p < 0.05, OR < 1).
• Models incorporating serum calcium and covariates demonstrated strong predictive performance (AUCs of 0.728 and 0.766).

Conclusions:

• A significant relationship exists between total serum calcium levels and melanoma development.
• Combining serum calcium with clinical and phenotypic characteristics enhances melanoma risk prediction.
• Further prospective studies are recommended to explore this relationship in depth.