Is skin cancer inherited?
Although there are rare forms of inherited skin cancers, more often we are looking at family members who have simply inherited factors that increase baseline risk, like fair skin and a tendency to sunburn. Family members are likely to share environmental risk factors as well: outdoor activities, vacations to the beach, and a shared value for “wearing” a tan. If we develop skin cancers like out parents, it is likely that it is because we inherited their skin type, and have taken on their habits as well. That said, there appears to be a strong inherited family link with a form of melanoma called the “Dysplastic Nevus Syndrome” or “Familial Melanoma Syndrome” in which affected family members develop an increased number of abnormal moles that are large and asymmetric and contain a variety of shades and color. These individuals have a high lifetime risk of developing melanoma skin cancer, and benefit from increased surveillance and screening.
