Extract

S.R. and S.O.A contributed equally.

Conflicts of interest: none declared.

Dear Editor, Naevus count is the most predictable phenotypic risk factor for melanoma and is influenced mainly by genetic factors.1,2,3 Melanoma disparities according to sex have been reported in many studies in terms of body distribution, survival and to a lesser extent incidence.4  5 It is well established that women are more likely to get melanoma on the lower limbs, while men are more prone to melanoma on the trunk. In this study, we explore the effects of sex on the distribution of naevi on the body in cases of melanoma and controls from different latitudes, and whether the odds ratios for melanoma associated with naevi at different body sites are affected by sex. Two case–control studies are compared, one in the U.K. and the other in Australia using the same protocol for naevus counts and the same examiner.6  7

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