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Melanoma |

Melanoma is one of the most aggressive forms of skin cancer, says Dr. Geoffrey Young, Chief of Head & Neck Surgery at Miami Cancer Institute, who explains it is related to sun exposure. However, he adds, some families have genetic components, genetic changes that predispose them to melanoma. But the main risk factor is chronic sun exposure.

Xeroderma pigmentosus is a rare genetic disorder that is caused by an inability or defect in repairing the DNA from damage from the UV light, according to Doctor Guilherme Rabinowits, Co-Leader of Head & Neck Oncology at Miami Cancer Institute. Probably one in 250.000 people develop that disease, he says.

Transcript

Now we’re gonna move on and shift gears toward another topic melanoma first of all let’s just define it what is it and how can somebody get this so you know melanoma is one of the more aggressive forms of skin cancer that we know about it’s mainly related to sun exposure there is some genetic components some families have genetic changes that predispose them to melanoma but for the most part its main risk factor is chronic sun exposure let’s talk about the risk factors moles of course as I just mentioned being one of them also I understand we have UV light exposure freckling fair-skinned family history having a weakened immune system and then there’s also something xeroderma pigmentosum can one of you explain to me what that is because I think everything else most people understand but I don’t know what that term means personally this is a rare genetic disorder that it’s caused by your there’s a inability or a defect actually in repairing the DNA from damage from the UV light so basically even like small amounts of sun exposure like can lead to severe like sunburns so but this is extremely rare it’s probably like one in 250,000 people develop that and but they have to be really like have full precautions I go with avoiding any like LED UV light exposure you

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