Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, may be linked to inherited genetic mutations, according to a recent study. Researchers analyzed genomic data from nearly 700,000 individuals in the U.S. and United Kingdom, including people with and without melanoma, without selecting participants based on family history.
The study focused on eight genes associated with melanoma risk. Harmful mutations in these genes were relatively rare in the general population, affecting between 0.5% and 0.9% of those studied. However, these mutations were significantly more common among people diagnosed with melanoma, especially those under 40 years old with a single melanoma and those of any age with multiple melanomas.
The findings also suggested some melanoma-associated genes may be linked to increased risks for other cancers, including prostate cancer, breast cancer, and myeloma. This overlap could impact how inherited cancer susceptibility is assessed.
Currently, genetic testing is usually recommended if a person has at least a 2.5% chance of carrying a mutation in cancer risk genes. This study suggests that melanoma patients diagnosed young or with multiple melanomas likely exceed this threshold, indicating they may benefit from genetic testing to identify mutations and assess their risk for additional cancers.