Prostate cancer nearly doubles melanoma risk

Quick informational item for prostate cancer survivors. I just had treatment for a "malignant melanoma in situ", a very early stage skin cancer on my back. My wife noticed a mole had changed, part of it darkening noticeably. It was diagnosed by a "shave biopsy", basically slicing off the mole itself. A positive margin from that ended up needing a "wide excision", and I'll have about at 2-1/2" scar from it. Prognosis is excellent, pending a clean pathology report. But now I have another lifetime condition to monitor.

Discussing with some other members from this forum, I've found that several have had melanomas as well. One of them mentioned seeing a study linking melanoma and prostate cancer.

There are a few articles about that study. Here's a link to one: History of Prostate Cancer Increases Risk of Melanoma in White Men

In short, melanoma risk nearly doubles after prostate cancer. It's only one way; prostate cancer risk isn't affected by melanoma. So it seems something may happen from either prostate cancer or its treatments that increase risk for melanoma. Hard to say, and the causes are only speculative so far.

But, as a prostate cancer survivor, please monitor your skin especially for any new moles or dark marks, or changes to existing moles. If you wonder about anything like that, get it checked by a dermatologist knowledgeable specifically in melanoma. (Other skin cancers don't seem to be related, for some reason).

This was unknown to me, so thought it would be worth sharing.

Then there's the part about how bad skin is a family trait... which would include my Sis and deceased Mother.

I too see a dermatologist twice a year. Luckily, he very seldom sends anything in to be biopsied.

QUESTION: Does Medicare cover liquid nitrogen treatments differently than regular insurance? When I had insurance, it never covered anything since it was mainly cosmetic. My dermatologist said we'd hold off removing a rather large mole to when my medicare kicked in.... which was last month. Just wondering if anyone knows.

The study as discussed in the above news report did not conclude there was a two-fold chance of melanoma caused by PCa or its treatment. There was a double hedge in the opposite conclusion: the increased incidence may not be entirely the result of greater medical scrutiny.

But yes, be vigilant and get a regular skin checks! Be aware that having a history of basal cell carcinoma does double your risk of melanoma.

With regard to insurance for skin-lesion removal, I believe the criteria is medically indicated vs. cosmetic. If a lesion is cancer or precancerous (or is not, but is getting irritated from shaving or other causes), it should be covered. If you don't like how it looks, but the doc says your choice, you can leave it or remove it, it is cosmetic and may not be covered. Chime in, please, if you have found this is not the case.

Djin

I also had two melanomas removed back in 2006--9 years before PCa showed up. Mine was found by a "doc in a box" medical screening at work. They were doing skin checks for ever employee to look for skin damage from chrome welding (it leads to pits in the skin--look it up), and the doc said, "you have a couple of moles on your back that you should see your regular doctor about". Mine were IA (in situ), and IB (slightly deeper).

I still remember meeting the dermatologist the first time: "Just looking at you, I can see you have 3 of the 4 main risk factors for MM. Fair skin, Blue or Green eyes, Blonde or Red hair. All I need to ask is if you ever, even once, had a sunburn that blistered? Of course, the answer was yes, every year as a child.

I haven't had any new lesions since 2006.

Cool, something else to worry about. I cannot count the number of times I have been sunburned to the point of peeling

anecdotal evidence: Both of my older brothers have had PC and melanomas removed. They were caught early and both brothers are fine.

Everyone should get checked for this.

I did it backwards. I had a large - size of quarter - melanoma removed from my back in 1985 - 18 years before PCa diagnosis. It was probably from a really, really bad sunburn I had when I was 12 or so years old after spending an entire day at the lake. I personally know 3 people who are no longer on the right side of the grass because of it. One was a guy I worked with who grew up on a family-owned golf course where he would spend all of his summers on lawn tractors.

Having a had a melanoma puts you at risk for having another one. I have annual dermatologist checkups and have suspicious bits sent to the pathology lab from time to time, but no further melanoma since. Also my daughter is considered at higher risk because of my melanoma, so she also has annual checks.

I've had several basal cell carcinomas removed from my face and back over the last several years. I have another black one on my back for a few months and have an appt at the dermatologist Monday. Normally I have a checkup every 6 months but the RALP last October resulted in a cancellation and getting a new appt after cancelling takes months.

garyi said...

Todd1963 said...
Cool, something else to worry about.

Not to worry, you may soon forget it, since there are studies the PCa increases the risk of getting Alzheimer's.

.....................................................................................................

HA! Oh well, good news associated with a PC diagnoses just seems quite limited!

Thanks for the heads up, Redwing!

DjinTonic said...
The study as discussed in the above news report did not conclude there was a two-fold chance of melanoma caused by PCa or its treatment. There was a double hedge in the opposite conclusion: the increased incidence may not be entirely the result of greater medical scrutiny.

But yes, be vigilant and get a regular skin checks! Be aware that having a history of basal cell carcinoma does double your risk of melanoma.

...

Djin

Fair enough, I guess. I've been just as pedantic about some studies before. Gratifying to pounce on overstated conclusions, isn't it? In any case, we agree on the advice to be vigilant about melanoma.

I will say that in my case this was not noticed due to any extra vigilance from my prostate cancer. In fact, that has never even been suggested by anyone in any part of my cancer experience, ever, anywhere. I'm a sample of one, but I'll also add this has never been brought up in any support group I've ever been in.

Personally (and yes, anecdotally) I'm inclined to skepticism if one pooh-poohs this as just finding it more because they look for it. I really don't think that's happening to any significant degree. I think the study authors were being careful. I'll also agree that is appropriate since they really didn't find a proven causal factor, merely a correlation. And we do know correlation without causality proves very little.

And Hal, yeah, I have the spectrum of fair skin, blue eyes, reddish blonde hair. I also a severe blistering sunburn on my back when I was 19, from a day snorkeling in Cuba.

In any case, here is the full quote from the investigator's conclusion:
Based on two large, well-established, long-term cohorts, we suggest an association between a diagnosis of [prostate cancer] and risk of subsequent melanoma in white men, which may not be entirely a result of greater medical scrutiny. We postulated a potential role for androgens in the etiology of melanoma, which might contribute to the observed association. Pending biologic investigation, further understanding of the mechanisms that mediate the associations could eventually lead to elucidation of new targets for interventions that may modulate their incidence or activity…. Our finding of [prostate cancer] diagnosis as a risk predictor for melanoma holds general public health significance, which may inform clinical practice to address the queries and aid the care of patients with [prostate cancer]. (emphasis mine)

island time said...

....I have another theory lol. Losing one’s prostate causes problems we’ve yet to discover. One man’s...fwiw. 🤔

Everything we choose to do can cause negative, unintended consequences,,,,and whining about it helps no one, not even the whiner. ;-)