Skin Cancer Genes May Raise Risk for Other Cancers

Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer. A recent study found that some people diagnosed with melanoma were more likely to have mutations (or changes) in certain genes. The changes they found were also linked to a higher risk for other types of cancer.

An NIH-funded research team looked at data from two large studies. One took place in the U.S. and the other in the United Kingdom. Both studies included healthy people and those with melanoma. The team analyzed the health records of nearly 700,000 people.

The researchers focused on eight genes known to increase the risk of melanoma. Mutations in these genes weren’t common in healthy participants. They appeared more often in those with melanoma. People younger than age 40 with a single melanoma were more likely to have one of the gene mutations. So were those with multiple melanomas.

The team found some genes were also linked to other types of cancer. People with certain gene changes showed an increased risk for prostate cancer, breast cancer, or myeloma.

“If someone with melanoma has one of these mutations, other tissues may face an elevated cancer risk,” says NIH’s Dr. Michael Sargen, who led the study.

More research is needed to verify that gene changes are linked to other types of cancer. If they are, gene testing may help some patients and their family members better understand their risk for other cancers.