10.10.11
New DNA faults for melanoma found
New DNA faults, unrelated to hair, skin or eye colour, have been linked to melanoma, following research published in the journal Nature Genetics. Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer, and known risk factors include fair skin, blue or green eyes, blond or red hair, a high number of moles and people who burn easily.
Cancer Research UK scanned genes in blood samples from almost 3,000 Europeans with melanoma and compared these to the general population. They discovered three new gene faults, which increase the risk of melanoma, and are carried by around 4% of the UK population. Having two copies of all three gene faults increases the risk of developing melanoma from 1 in 60 to 1 in 46.
Lead author, Professor Tim Bishop, from the University of Leeds, said: “We know that overexposure to UV increases the risk of developing melanoma – but this evidence shows that there are new additional genetic faults which can push up the risk further.
“It’s fascinating to discover these new melanoma risk factors – and we expect that the results of similar studies underway will reveal even more.”
Dr Lesley Walker, Cancer Research UK’s director of cancer information, said: “These intriguing results provide a deeper understanding of the causes of melanoma and provide a potential new approach to identify people most at risk of developing melanoma and other cancers.
“Cancer Research UK has invested heavily in research to identify tiny DNA changes to paint an overall picture of which regions of DNA could be linked to cancer – and we hope that research like this will reveal further genetic secrets to help us diagnose and treat the disease.
“The best way to reduce the risk of skin cancer is to protect yourself from strong sun by covering up with clothing, spending some time in the shade, and applying at least SPF 15 sunscreen with four or more stars generously and regularly.
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