| To protect against the early signs of skin cancer, | | | | It may well be that your family history can be |
| we all know to wear sunscreen and stay out of | | | | used to assess your own risk of developing |
| the sun between those peak hours, but a pair of | | | | cancer of the skin. |
| recent studies both suggest a genetic component | | | | This year, an estimated one million cases of skin |
| to this form of cancer that we cannot escape. | | | | cancer will be diagnosed in the U.S. alone. What's |
| Earlier work in this area suggested that melanoma | | | | more, it can happen to anyone, at any time, even |
| and other skin cancers might run in families, but | | | | if you're free from risk factors (fair complexion, |
| researchers often find it hard to distinguish | | | | family history, severe sunburn early in life or age) |
| between genes and the environment, and so the | | | | which is why you should always, always talk to |
| question remained unanswered. | | | | your doctor about any growth on your skin that |
| An Australian study out of the University of | | | | change shape, bleeds or doesn't heal. |
| Queensland attempted to address this challenge | | | | If you have a close family member who has (or |
| by looking at twin pairs where one twin had been | | | | had) skin cancer, your best weapon is your |
| diagnosed with melanoma. Using 125 twin pairs (27 | | | | awareness of the increased risk you may carry. |
| sets of identical twins, 98 sets of fraternal twins) | | | | Be extra-careful about the sun, limiting your |
| the researchers found that having an identical twin | | | | exposure during peak (10:00 am - 2:00 pm) hours |
| who had melanoma increased a person's own risk | | | | and using sunscreen or protective clothing year |
| of developing the same disease nearly ten fold. | | | | round. |
| Having a fraternal twin with this form of cancer | | | | Look over your own skin on a regular basis (using |
| nearly doubled the other twin's risk of being | | | | a mirror as necessary) for any mole, sore or skin |
| diagnosed as well. | | | | growth that appears or changes. Watch for... |
| This suggests that some of the increased | | | | Asymmetry - one half of the area is different |
| melanoma risk can be attributed to your genes, in | | | | than the other. |
| particular the interaction between genes. The | | | | Border - the outlines of the area are irregular |
| Australian researchers estimate that genetics | | | | Color - can vary from one area to another in |
| account for about half of the difference in skin | | | | shades of tan, brown or black, sometimes even |
| cancer risk between two people. | | | | white, red or blue |
| The second study, conducted by a team out of | | | | Diameter - almost always bigger than 6 mm (the |
| the University of California, Los Angeles used the | | | | size of a pencil eraser) |
| Swedish Family-Cancer Database to look at the | | | | Remember, a family history is only a risk factor |
| risk of several types of skin cancer among the | | | | according to these latest findings - the genes you |
| brothers and sisters or children of those | | | | carry don't guarantee you anything, good or bad. |
| diagnosed with the condition. | | | | Your best bet if you're worried about the early |
| They found that a person's risk of cancer (of | | | | signs of skin cancer is to make changes to limit |
| various types, not just the ones a family member | | | | the risks you can control, be aware and stay |
| had) increases if they have a sibling or parent with | | | | informed. |
| a non-melanoma skin cancer. | | | | |