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A researcher summarises a project which used data from over 400,000 patients, to analyse the risk of melanoma recurring in a fresh place.
Discovering you have melanoma is not a pleasant experience, making treatment and an all clear truly welcome. There is still a need to remember that you have an increased likelihood of the condition occurring again in another location.
The 2023 research highlighted in the video was a large scale, international review on cases of recurrence. The study concluded that compared to the general population, people who have had melanoma hold a 10 times greater chance of a new melanoma.
They went further than producing this critical statistic, by drawing out underlying factors which add to the probability of recurrence.
Increased Risk
A strong family history of melanoma was seen as a key factor. More specifically, mutations within the CDKN2A gene were confirmed as highly relevant, the reason we offer our patients genetic testing for this anomaly.
An unusually high mole count came next on the list, followed by increasing age and then a more moderate mole count. Being male is not an asset, although behavioural elements can be a factor in this and both sexes are at risk.
Having lighter skin mattered, along with the initial lesions being on the head, or neck, or being a rarer form such as lentigo maligna. The level of sun protection people used also made a difference.
Behaviour Still Matters
As the research demonstrates, if you are at notable risk, protecting yourself from the sun can change individual outcome.
The condition could develop anyway but by being at risk, you have an increased vulnerability to UV damage. Using sunscreen and protective clothing matters, as does using shade to avoid longer term sun exposure.
A personalised skin cancer screening program is equally important when you have suffered from any skin cancer, particularly melanoma. This can bring peace of mind, or the early treatment which makes melanoma a less significant issue.
Day To Day Life
Alongside regular professional checks, examining your own skin makes sense and above all, seeing an experienced dermatologist if you spot a problem.
Recovering from melanoma should not in any sense blight your life, the opposite is true. The need to remain aware still matters, as would be the case with a serious allergy, or other potentially threatening condition.
Even if you do develop a further melanoma, modern skin cancer treatment is just as effective as would be the case for the first. We simply ask you to be aware how important early treatment is, in stopping a vexation becoming a serious problem.