Background: Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its analogs have potent chemoprotective actions in mouse skin tumorigenesis models. To assess this association in humans, we investigated the relationship of prediagnostic serum concentrations of DHEA and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) to the subsequent risk of developing malignant melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin in residents of Washington County, Maryland, USA.
Patients and methods: In a nested case-control study, serum that had been stored in 1974 was thawed and assayed for DHEA and DHEAS for 23 cases of malignant melanoma and 28 cases of squamous cell carcinoma and 1-2 matched controls per case.
Results: The mean serum concentrations of DHEA or DHEAS were similar in cases and controls. There were no statistically significant trends in the risk of developing malignant melanoma or squamous cell skin cancer by concentration of either steroid (all p-for-trends >0.30).
Conclusion: The results of this study do not support the hypothesis that physiological concentrations of DHEA or DHEAS protect against skin cancer in humans.