Skin Cancer raises the risk of developing other cancers

Belfast, Ireland, January 8: Patients of skin cancerdefine are at an increased risk of developing other forms of cancer later in their lives, suggests a new research, published in the British Journal of Cancer.

The research involved 1,837 people treated for melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancerdefine, and 20,823 people treated for other forms of skin cancer, between 1993 and 2002. It was found that people with melanoma faced double the risk of developing a new primary cancer.

Those with non-melanoma skin cancer were twice as likely to develop melanoma, as compared with the general population. Overall, their risk of a new primary cancer is up by 57 percent.

"Sun exposure is an important risk factor for all types of skin cancers, so patients who have had one type of skin cancer may be more likely to develop other types as well," said Professor Liam Murray, lead author of the study.

"Alternatively, a new skin cancer may be more likely to be detected in patients who are monitored following their first diagnosis of skin cancer."

Prf. Murray also explained that the increase in smoking-related cancers could be because of the general unhealthy lifestyle of smokers or because smoking predisposes people to various forms of cancers.

Some people are at a greater risk of developing cancer because of a family history of the disease. Besides the genetic causes, there are several risk factors for skin cancer, which include excessive sun exposure, very light skin, hair or eye color and having a large number of moles on the body.

"These important findings could help doctors target health information more accurately to people who have been treated for skin cancer to help them reduce their risk of developing a second cancer," said Sara Hiom, of the charity Cancer Research UK.