Risk Factors for Pigmented Lesion & Melanoma
Talk to your doctor if you think you are
at risk for melanoma..
Having a risk factor does not mean that you will get cancer, just as not having risk factors doesn't mean that you will not get cancer. Some risk factors are out of your control, such as your complexion or family history. However, some risk factors, such as exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light, are factors you can control. People who think they may be at risk should discuss this with their doctor.
Persons with the following characteristics may be at an increased risk for melanoma:
- Blond or red hair
- Blue eyes
- Fair complexion/inability to tan
- Tendency to sunburn
- Dysplastic nevi (also called atypical moles)
- Family history of melanoma
- Personal history of melanoma
- Many ordinary moles (more than 50-100)
- Many freckles
- An immunosuppressive disorder
- Excessive exposure to natural sunlight or artificial sunlight (such as from tanning beds)
- Early childhood sunburns
- History of non-melanoma skin cancers or actinic keratosis
Darker brown or black skin is not a guarantee against melanoma. While African-Americans, Latinos, and Asians are at lower risk of the more common sun-related melanoma types, they can develop this cancer, especially on the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, and under the fingernails and toenails.
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