Melanoma Risk Factors and Prevention

In the Western population, 1 out of every 50 individuals will develop melanoma. The incidence of melanoma is increasing faster than any other malignancy. The development of melanoma is multifactorial arising from an interaction between genetic susceptibility and environmental exposures. Sixty to seventy percent of melanomas are thought to be caused by ultraviolet radiation. Most cutaneous melanomas are of increased risk. Prevention strategies involve mitigating the environmental risk factors and identifying individuals with phenotypic risk factors for increased surveillance.