Melanoma risk factors

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Anum Ijaz M.B.B.S., M.D.[2]; Yazan Daaboul, M.D.; Serge Korjian M.D.

Overview

The two most potent risk factors in the development of melanoma are light-colored skin and exposure to ultraviolet radiation. Other risk factors include old age, male gender, family history of melanoma, personal history of skin cancers, immunodeficiency, and certain hereditary disorders.

Risk Factors

The two most potent risk factors in the development of melanoma are light-colored skin and exposure to ultraviolet radiation.^[1]^[2]
Other risk factors for the development of melanoma are mentioned in the table below:

Risk Factors
Heritable	Lighter skin pigmentation that burns easily (*Fitzpatrick phototype 1 and 2).^[3] Eye pigmentation (blue, green, hazel, gray).^[3] Family history of melanoma in a first-degree relative (18-24). ^[1] Hereditary diseases including: Giant congenital pigmented nevus syndrome Melanocortin 1 receptor mutation^[4] Dysplastic nevus syndrome Retinoblastoma^[5] Xeroderma pigmentosum^[6]
Modifiable	Sunburn Tanning bed use immunosuppression:^[3] Kidney transplant recipient. Solid organ transplant recipient. Administration of immunosuppressive therapy. Therapeutic agents such as: Psoralen^[7] Ultraviolet A light therapy^[1] Neonatal blue light phototherapy Exposure to environmental chemicals such as: Polyvinyl chloride Heavy metals Pesticides Multiple benign or atypical nevi^[8] Personal history of melanoma
Non-modifiable Risk Factors	Old age.^[3] Male gender.^[3]

* Fitzpack Patrick phototypes: Ⅰ( always burns, never tans), Ⅱ ( usually burns, tans less than average), Ⅲ ( sometimes mild burns, tans about average), and IV( rarely burns, tans more than average).^[9]

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 Ghiasvand R, Rueegg CS, Weiderpass E, Green AC, Lund E, Veierød MB (February 2017). “Indoor Tanning and Melanoma Risk: Long-Term Evidence From a Prospective Population-Based Cohort Study”. Am. J. Epidemiol. 185 (3): 147–156. doi:10.1093/aje/kww148. PMID 28077359.
↑ Leiter U, Garbe C (2008). “Epidemiology of melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer–the role of sunlight”. Adv. Exp. Med. Biol. 624: 89–103. doi:10.1007/978-0-387-77574-6_8. PMID 18348450.
↑ ^3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 ^3.3 ^3.4
Joshi UM, Kashani-Sabet M, Kirkwood JM (August 2025). “Cutaneous Melanoma: A Review”. JAMA. doi:10.1001/jama.2025.13074. PMID 40853557 Check |pmid= value (help).
- Hair color (red or blonde).Joshi UM, Kashani-Sabet M, Kirkwood JM (August 2025). “Cutaneous Melanoma: A Review”. JAMA. doi:10.1001/jama.2025.13074. PMID 40853557 Check |pmid= value (help).
↑ Herraiz C, Jiménez-Cervantes C, Sánchez-Laorden B, García-Borrón JC (June 2018). “Functional interplay between secreted ligands and receptors in melanoma”. Semin. Cell Dev. Biol. 78: 73–84. doi:10.1016/j.semcdb.2017.06.021. PMID 28676423.
↑ Francis JH, Levin AM, Abramson DH (2016). “Update on Ophthalmic Oncology 2014: Retinoblastoma and Uveal Melanoma”. Asia Pac J Ophthalmol (Phila). 5 (5): 368–82. doi:10.1097/APO.0000000000000213. PMID 27632029.
↑ Naouali C, Jones M, Nabouli I, Jerbi M, Tounsi H, Ben Rekaya M, Ben Ahmed M, Bouhaouala B, Messaoud O, Khaled A, Zghal M, Abdelhak S, Boubaker S, Yacoub-Youssef H (January 2017). “Epidemiological trends and clinicopathological features of cutaneous melanoma in sporadic and xeroderma pigmentosum Tunisian patients”. Int. J. Dermatol. 56 (1): 40–48. doi:10.1111/ijd.13448. PMID 27785785.
↑ Yin L, Pang G, Niu C, Habasi M, Dou J, Aisa HA (June 2018). “A novel psoralen derivative-MPFC enhances melanogenesis via activation of p38 MAPK and PKA signaling pathways in B16 cells”. Int. J. Mol. Med. 41 (6): 3727–3735. doi:10.3892/ijmm.2018.3529. PMID 29512683.
↑ Müller C, Wendt J, Rauscher S, Sunder-Plassmann R, Richtig E, Fae I, Fischer G, Okamoto I (December 2018). “Risk Factors of Subsequent Primary Melanomas in Austria”. JAMA Dermatol. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2018.4645. PMID 30566178.
↑ Gupta V, Sharma VK (2019). “Skin typing: Fitzpatrick grading and others”. Clin Dermatol. 37 (5): 430–436. doi:10.1016/j.clindermatol.2019.07.010. PMID 31896400.

[pmid28077359-1] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 Ghiasvand R, Rueegg CS, Weiderpass E, Green AC, Lund E, Veierød MB (February 2017). “Indoor Tanning and Melanoma Risk: Long-Term Evidence From a Prospective Population-Based Cohort Study”. Am. J. Epidemiol. 185 (3): 147–156. doi:10.1093/aje/kww148. PMID 28077359.

[pmid18348450-2] Leiter U, Garbe C (2008). “Epidemiology of melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer–the role of sunlight”. Adv. Exp. Med. Biol. 624: 89–103. doi:10.1007/978-0-387-77574-6_8. PMID 18348450.

[pmid40853557-3] 3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 ^3.3 ^3.4 Joshi UM, Kashani-Sabet M, Kirkwood JM (August 2025). “Cutaneous Melanoma: A Review”. JAMA. doi:10.1001/jama.2025.13074. PMID 40853557 Check |pmid= value (help).
Hair color (red or blonde).Joshi UM, Kashani-Sabet M, Kirkwood JM (August 2025). “Cutaneous Melanoma: A Review”. JAMA. doi:10.1001/jama.2025.13074. PMID 40853557 Check |pmid= value (help).

[4] Hair color (red or blonde).Joshi UM, Kashani-Sabet M, Kirkwood JM (August 2025). “Cutaneous Melanoma: A Review”. JAMA. doi:10.1001/jama.2025.13074. PMID 40853557 Check |pmid= value (help).

[pmid28676423-4] Herraiz C, Jiménez-Cervantes C, Sánchez-Laorden B, García-Borrón JC (June 2018). “Functional interplay between secreted ligands and receptors in melanoma”. Semin. Cell Dev. Biol. 78: 73–84. doi:10.1016/j.semcdb.2017.06.021. PMID 28676423.

[pmid27632029-5] Francis JH, Levin AM, Abramson DH (2016). “Update on Ophthalmic Oncology 2014: Retinoblastoma and Uveal Melanoma”. Asia Pac J Ophthalmol (Phila). 5 (5): 368–82. doi:10.1097/APO.0000000000000213. PMID 27632029.

[pmid27785785-6] Naouali C, Jones M, Nabouli I, Jerbi M, Tounsi H, Ben Rekaya M, Ben Ahmed M, Bouhaouala B, Messaoud O, Khaled A, Zghal M, Abdelhak S, Boubaker S, Yacoub-Youssef H (January 2017). “Epidemiological trends and clinicopathological features of cutaneous melanoma in sporadic and xeroderma pigmentosum Tunisian patients”. Int. J. Dermatol. 56 (1): 40–48. doi:10.1111/ijd.13448. PMID 27785785.

[pmid29512683-7] Yin L, Pang G, Niu C, Habasi M, Dou J, Aisa HA (June 2018). “A novel psoralen derivative-MPFC enhances melanogenesis via activation of p38 MAPK and PKA signaling pathways in B16 cells”. Int. J. Mol. Med. 41 (6): 3727–3735. doi:10.3892/ijmm.2018.3529. PMID 29512683.

[pmid30566178-8] Müller C, Wendt J, Rauscher S, Sunder-Plassmann R, Richtig E, Fae I, Fischer G, Okamoto I (December 2018). “Risk Factors of Subsequent Primary Melanomas in Austria”. JAMA Dermatol. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2018.4645. PMID 30566178.

[pmid31896400-9] Gupta V, Sharma VK (2019). “Skin typing: Fitzpatrick grading and others”. Clin Dermatol. 37 (5): 430–436. doi:10.1016/j.clindermatol.2019.07.010. PMID 31896400.

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