The usual risk factors associated with
cancer, e.g., cigarette smoking, are not associated with
melanoma risk. Rather, melanoma risk factors include sun exposure,
family history, genetics and phenotypical traits such as
skin, hair and eye color.
Known risk factors for melanoma of the skin include:
- Previous melanoma or other skin cancer
- Family history of melanoma
- Atypical moles (dysplastic nevi)
- 50 or more moles
- History of exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, including UV exposure
at tanning salons
- History of sunburns, particularly severe sunburns in childhood
- White race, especially people who have fair skin that burns rather
than tans
- Red or blonde hair
- Blue eyes
- Many (extensive) freckles on the upper back
- Other cancers such as leukemia or lymphoma
- Impaired immune system
- Moles that are present at birth, especially if the moles are larger
than 20 cm (giant congenital melanocytic nevus)
- Equatorial latitudes
- Xeroderma
pigmentosum - a rare inherited disease in which the body cannot
repair damage to cells by UV radiation from the sun
- PUVA treatment, used to treat skin conditions such as psoriasis
