Study finds men with history of melanoma have higher risk of prostate cancer

2022-11-16 Xinhua Editor:Li Yan

A study led by Australia's Daffodil Center has found that men with a history of melanoma are more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer, compared to men who have never suffered from this skin disease.

The study, published in the British Journal of Cancer, analyzed data from 96,548 Australian men, from which the scientists detected a 20-40 percent higher risk of prostate cancer diagnosis in men with a history of melanoma than those without.

According to the study, prostate cancer was the most diagnosed cancer among Australian men in 2020, comprising about 25 percent of all newly diagnosed cancers in men, while melanoma was ranked third with a share of about 10 percent.

"Previous research has not been able to account for the possibility that men with a prior melanoma might be more vigilant regarding other health issues such as cancer," said Visalini Nair-Shalliker, lead author and senior research fellow from Cancer Council New South Wales, on Wednesday.

As for their study, she added that the findings for men who have had more than one melanoma were particularly strong, with the risk of developing prostate cancer two to three times higher.

The Daffodil Center, jointly established by the Cancer Council New South Wales and the University of Sydney, is a research body focusing on cancer control and policy. 

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