Is There A Genetic Link To Skin Cancer

Melanoma Take a chance Factors

The Risks. The Causes. What You lot Tin can Do.

Skin cancers similar melanoma accept damaged Deoxyribonucleic acid (mutations) in skin cells that pb to uncontrolled growth of these cells. Ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun or tanning beds harm DNA in your skin cells. Your allowed system repairs some of this harm merely not all. Over time, the remaining Deoxyribonucleic acid damage can lead to mutations that cause skin cancer. Many other factors besides play a role in increasing the chance for melanoma, including genetics (family history), skin type or color, hair color, freckling and number of moles on the torso.

Agreement what causes melanoma and whether you lot're at high take a chance of developing the disease can help you prevent it or notice it early on when information technology is easiest to treat and cure.

These factors increase your melanoma risk:

Unprotected or excessive UV exposure from the sun or indoor tanning.

Weakened immune system due to a medical condition or medications.

Many moles: The more moles yous have on your body, the college your risk for melanoma. Likewise, having large moles (larger than a tip of a pencil eraser), or any atypical moles, increases the risk for melanoma.

Fair pare: Melanoma occurs more oft in people with fair skin, light optics and light or cherry-red pilus.

Skin cancer history: People who take already had melanoma or nonmelanoma skin cancers run a greater risk of developing melanoma in the hereafter.

Genetics: Melanoma can run in families – one in every 10 patients has a family member who also has had the disease.

UV exposure

Don't experience the burn!

YOUR RISK
of developing melanoma
DOUBLES
with a history of 5 or more sunburns.

Weakened immune system

If your immune system is weakened as the consequence of medical treatments, including chemotherapy or immunosuppressive therapy (commonly used after an organ transplant), or if yous take a medical status such as lymphoma or HIV that compromises the immune system, your risk of developing melanoma is higher.

Many moles

Moles, the small brown "beauty marks" that arise on the pare throughout life are non unsafe, simply people with many moles are at increased risk for developing melanoma. While virtually melanomas develop in normal skin and it'south less mutual for melanoma to develop in an existing mole, it does happen. Most xx-30 percent of melanomas ascend from existing moles.

Atypical moles (some physicians call them dysplastic nevi) are oft larger than a tip of a pencil eraser and can have irregular borders and multiple color hues. They tin can resemble melanoma but they are not malignant or precancerous. People with many moles and those with many atypical moles are at very high risk for developing melanoma.

Considering melanoma can develop in a mole or can develop in normal pare, it is important to run across your dermatologist if you see a new or irresolute mole.

Fair skin

Although anyone can go melanoma, people with fairer peel – specially those with red or blond hair, blue or dark-green eyes, or peel that freckles or easily burns – take a college risk. If you don't know your skin type, take the quiz and find out hither.

Skin cancer history

Previous skin cancer diagnoses also increase your take a chance for developing melanoma. If you've had melanoma already, you run a risk for recurrence. Yous also run a risk for developing new melanomas. If y'all've had squamous cell carcinoma or basal jail cell carcinoma, you are also more likely to develop melanoma at some point in your life.

Genetic risk factors

Family unit history

Melanoma tin run in families. In fact, about ane in every 10 patients diagnosed with melanoma has a family member with a history of the disease. If 1 or more than shut biological relatives – parents, brothers, sisters or children – had melanoma, you are at increased gamble. Compared to people with no family history of melanoma, each person with a commencement-caste relative diagnosed with melanoma has a greater chance of developing the disease. That's why, when a melanoma is diagnosed, doctors often recommend that close relatives exist examined for melanoma.

Familial atypical multiple mole melanoma syndrome (FAMMM)

If yous take hereditary risk factors every bit well every bit many atypical moles, your risk of developing melanoma is even higher. This combination of family history and having many unusual moles is often referred to every bit Familial Atypical Multiple Mole Melanoma syndrome (FAMMM).

Genetic discoveries

In the example of some familial melanomas, researchers have discovered DNA changes in tumor suppressor genes, including CDKN2A (cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A) and BAP1 (BRCA1 associated poly peptide-1). These changes prevent the genes from doing their normal task of decision-making cell growth, giving damaged cells less hazard to repair before progressing to cancer. Another tumor suppressor gene, MC1R (melanocortin i receptor) also increases the risk for melanoma. Families suspected of having melanoma genes can be screened to identify members that carry a defective cistron.

What you can do

Be on the watch: If you lot have FAMMM or other hereditary risk factors, be sure to self-check more frequently and visit your dermatologist oft for thorough professional peel exams.

Start early: Children in melanoma-prone families demand special attention. Some doctors recommend pare checks at puberty and during adolescence.

The good news is that the survival charge per unit for familial melanoma is even higher than that for non-familial melanomas – nigh probable because these families are carefully watching and melanomas are usually found while the cancer is very early and more likely to be cured.

Protect against UV rays: You can reduce the melanoma take chances posed by UV radiation past taking simple, smart protective measures. Safeguard your skin confronting the sun every day, fifty-fifty when it's cloudy. Avoid indoor tanning entirely. Get more details here: Peel Cancer Prevention Guidelines.

Reviewed by:
Allan C. Halpern, Medico
Ashfaq A. Marghoob, MD
Ofer Reiter, MD

Concluding updated: June 2021

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