Analysis of association between sunscreens use and risk of malignant melanoma.

BACKGROUND Epidemiological studies evaluating the association between sunscreens use and malignant melanoma risk have produced inconsistent results. Thus, we conducted a meta-analysis to summarize the evidence from epidemiological studies of sunscreens use with the risk of malignant melanoma. METHODS Pertinent studies were identified by a search in PubMed and Web of Knowledge up to October 2014. Random-effect model was used to combine the results. Publication bias was estimated using Egger's regression asymmetry test. RESULTS Twenty-one studies including 7150 malignant melanoma cases about sunscreens use with the risk of malignant melanoma were included in this meta-analysis. The combined relative risk (RR) of malignant melanoma associated with sunscreens use was 1.145 (95% CI=0.912-1.438). The association was significant neither in the case-control studies nor in the cohort studies. No publication biases were found. CONCLUSIONS Our analysis indicated that sunscreens use is not associated with the risk of malignant melanoma.