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*Women health>>>Skin Cancer

Is skin cancer genetic?

I know breast cancer and other cancers are but what about skin cancer? or is it just caused by the sun!?

Ahh thanks Bill R - It can be genetic - (from your link)

Family history of melanoma: Melanoma sometimes runs in families. Having two or more close relatives who have had this disease is a risk factor. About 10 percent of all patients with melanoma have a family member with this disease. When melanoma runs in a family, all family members should be checked regularly by a doctor.

YES. I am a melanoma survivor, diagnosed the first time at age 21. My brother was diagnosed at age 26. We have no history of tanning or sunburns. Our melanoma is strictly genetic.

Known risk factors for skin cancer include the following:
* Genetics: Having a family history of melanoma increases the risk of developing this cancer. (MedlinePlus)
Genetic predisposition, including "Congenital Melanocytic Nevi Syndrome". CMNS is characterized by the presence of "nevi" or moles of varying size that either appear at or within 6 months of birth. Nevi larger than 20 mm (3/4") in size are at higher risk for becoming cancerous. (Wikipedia)
Melanoma- Sun exposure is a risk, as is family history, increased numbers of melanocytic nevi, and the occurrence of lentigo maligna, large congenital melanocytic nevus, and the dysplastic nevus syndrome. Melanoma is rare in blacks.
People who have one or more 1st-degree relatives with a history of melanoma have an increased risk (up to 6 or 8 times) over those without a family history. (Merck)
Heredity may play a role in skin cancer (MayoClinic).

You are mistaken about breast and other cancers; fewer than 10% of cancer cases overall are due to hereditary factors, and only 5 - 10% of breast cancers are.

Most skin cancers aren't hereditary, but research programmes have found a few families who do seem to have a higher incidence than normal.

If you have a parent who's had squamous cell skin cancer, you have a 2 to 3 times higher than average risk of getting one yourself, and family history is probably also linked to increased risk of basal cell skin cancer.

People with fair skin are more susceptible to skin cancers, and skin type runs in families, so people from fair skinned families will be more at risk than people from dark skinned families, but not because they have a cancer gene running in the family.


These links give information about skin cancer - melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer - including risk factors and any genetic factors:

http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/cancera...

http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/cancera...

Sometimes.

Melanoma, a type of skin cancer sometimes runs in families. Having two or more close relatives who have had this disease is a risk factor. About 10 percent of all patients with melanoma have a family member with this disease. When melanoma runs in a family, all family members should be checked regularly by a doctor.

You can read more in the link below

Not genetic

no it isnt ;)

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