What should you know about melanoma hereditary?

Melanoma usually reflects a combination of inherited traits, ultraviolet exposure, skin type, number and type of moles, and other factors. In some families, a genetic change can increase the tendency to develop melanoma. Having an affected relative does not mean that you have melanoma, and having no family history does not rule it out.

A clinician may ask which relatives were affected, their ages at diagnosis, whether one person had more than one melanoma, and whether pancreatic cancer or many unusual moles occur in the family. A genetics consultation may help decide whether testing is useful and how results could affect relatives.

Write down your family cancer history and share it with a dermatologist or doctor. Arrange a baseline skin examination, learn how your own moles look, and check hard-to-see areas with help or a mirror. Use shade, clothing, and broad-spectrum sunscreen when outdoors, and avoid intentional tanning. A clinician may recommend scheduled examinations, photographs, genetic counselling, or biopsy of a changing lesion. If melanoma is found, treatment may include Surgical Excision, Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy, or Immunotherapy depending on its features.

Contact a clinician promptly for a new mole or a lesion that changes in size, shape, colour, border, or surface, or that bleeds or fails to heal. Seek urgent attention for a rapidly growing, painful, or infected-looking lesion. A family history supports closer attention but should not be used to label a spot as cancer without examination.

Ask whether your family pattern suggests genetic counselling, how often your skin should be examined, which relatives might benefit from advice, and how to monitor scalp, nails, mouth, and other less visible sites. Ask how a genetic result would change screening or treatment decisions.