Table 3.

Phenotypic characteristics by BRAF and NRAS mutational status among melanoma cases (N = 214)

CharacteristicBRAF+ (N = 92)
NRAS+ (N = 29)
Wild-type (N = 93)
BRAF+ vs wild-type, OR* (95% CI)NRAS+ vs wild-type, OR* (95% CI)
n† (%)
No. nevi on the back
    Median (interquartile range)14.5 (7-34)12.0 (4-20)9.0 (3-19)
    0-414 (16)9 (31)32 (36)1.01.0
    5-1431 (34)9 (31)28 (31)2.4 (1.1-5.5)1.2 (0.4-3.7)
    >1445 (50)11 (38)29 (33)3.2 (1.4-7.0)1.7 (0.6-4.8)
    Ptrend0.0060.34
Nevus density diagrams
    None11 (12)5 (19)27 (30)1.01.0
    Low51 (58)17 (62)49 (55)2.3 (1.0-5.2)2.7 (0.8-8.6)
    Medium to high26 (30)5 (19)13 (15)3.8 (1.4-10.4)3.3 (0.7-14.9)
    Ptrend0.0090.10
Propensity to tan
    Deep tan20 (23)5 (19)11 (13)1.01.0
    Moderate tan34 (38)13 (48)35 (41)0.5 (0.2-1.3)0.7 (0.2-2.6)
    Mild tan27 (31)6 (22)24 (28)0.7 (0.3-1.8)0.4 (0.1-1.8)
    No tan7 (8)3 (11)15 (18)0.3 (0.1-0.9)0.3 (0.1-1.6)
    Ptrend0.130.09
Childhood freckles
    None50 (56)13 (45)48 (52)1.01.0
    Few31 (34)14 (48)29 (31)0.9 (0.5-1.8)2.0 (0.8-4.8)
    Many9 (10)2 (7)16 (17)0.5 (0.2-1.2)0.5 (0.1-2.4)
    Ptrend0.180.92
Hair color
    Black or dark brown28 (30)12 (41)28 (30)1.01.0
    Light brown or blond57 (62)13 (45)50 (54)1.2 (0.6-2.3)0.6 (0.2-1.4)
    Red7 (8)4 (14)14 (15)0.5 (0.2-1.5)0.6 (0.2-2.4)
Eye color
    Black or brown26 (28)7 (24)26 (28)1.01.0
    Hazel, green, gray or blue66 (72)22 (76)67 (72)1.0 (0.5-2.0)1.3 (0.5-3.4)

  • ↵* OR values are adjusted for age as a continuous variable.

  • ↵† Counts may not sum to the total number of study subjects due to missing data.