To prevent malignant melanoma, attention must be paid to reducing individual risk factors.
Behavioral risk factors
- UV exposure (especially: UV-B radiation; solariums?)Note: Moderate solarium use should not lead to an increased risk of melanoma.
- In men: overweight (BMI ≥ 25; obesity).
Environmental pollution – intoxications (poisonings).
- Radon
- UV light
Prevention factors (protective factors)
- Genetic factors:
- Genetic risk reduction depending on gene polymorphisms:
- Genes/SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphism):
- Gene: ATM
- SNP: rs1801516 in gene ATM
- Allele constellation: AA (0.86-fold).
- Genes/SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphism):
- Genetic risk reduction depending on gene polymorphisms:
- Sun protection [S3 guideline: see below].
- Avoidance of strong sunlight (see also UV index: the UV index (UVI) is a standardized measure of sunburn-effective solar irradiance (ultraviolet radiation).); Staying indoors is better than putting on sunscreen!In general, the UV index is considered to be a measure of the strongest solar radiation around midday (maximum daily value).
- Wearing appropriate clothing is preferable to the use of sunscreen as individual sun protection.
- Headgear/sun hat, T-shirt (and one shirt over the other), sunglasses.
- Application of sunscreen
Secondary prevention
- Early skin cancer detection (skin cancer screening) using dermoscopy (reflected light microscopy; increases diagnostic certainty).