Scientists Double Understanding of Genetic Risk of Melanoma

“By finding new regions we can now narrow in on the specific underlying genes and better understand the pathways that lead to melanoma,” Associate Professor Law said.

“Two of the new regions we’ve discovered that are linked to melanoma have previously been linked to autoimmune disorders. This provides further evidence that the immune system plays an important role in a person developing melanoma.

“We also found an association between melanoma and common genetic variants in the gene TP53, which is a gene critical in controlling DNA repair when cells divide, and in suppressing cancer.”

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Melanoma Genetic Risk Factors

Melanoma can run in families. In fact, about one in every 10 patients diagnosed with melanoma has a family member with a history of the disease. If one or more close biological relatives – parents, brothers, sisters or children – had melanoma, you are at increased risk. Compared to people with no family history of melanoma, each person with a first-degree 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 be examined for melanoma…

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