Abstract

Skin Cancer: Melanoma

Author(s): Jeniffer Stewert*

Skin cancer is the most common malignant cancer that affects a wide spectrum of people. Every year, more than a million instances of skin cancer are reported around the world. Exposure to UV (ultraviolet) radiation from the sun, dysplastic nevi syndrome, and a family history of melanoma are all risk factors for the development of melanoma. Melanoma incidence has been steadily increasing, resulting in a significant public health crisis. There are numerous risk factors that can raise a person’s chances of developing melanoma. Melanoma develops when something goes wrong with the melanin-producing cells (melanocytes) that give your skin its colour. When certain cells develop DNA damage, however, new cells may begin to proliferate out of control, eventually becoming a mass of cancer cells. It’s unclear what causes DNA damage in skin cells or how it contributes to melanoma. Melanoma could be caused by a number of reasons, including environmental and hereditary causes


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