Genetic Predisposition to Melanoma

Malignant melanoma is a rare, often fatal form of skin cancer with a complex multigenic etiology. The incidence of melanoma is increasing at an alarming rate. A number of heritable factors contribute to a patient ’s overall melanoma risk, including response to ultraviolet light, nevus number, and pigmentation characteristics, such as eye and hair color. Approximately 5-10% of melanoma cases are familial, yet the majority of familial cases lack identifiable germ-line mutations in known susceptibility genes.
Source: Seminars in Oncology - Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Source Type: research