People with Parkinson disease have a much higher risk of melanoma and vice versa, according to the results of a study published in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings. This probability is multiplied by four in both cases.
Researchers at the Mayo Clinic in the United States used the Epidemiology Project’s medical records database to identify all confirmed cases of Parkinson’s disease from January 1976 through December 2013. The study looked at the prevalence of melanoma in 974 patients compared to 2922 without Parkinson’s. They also identified 1,544 cases of melanoma during this period and determined the high risk of Parkinson’s in these patients compared to individuals without melanoma.
A link between Parkinson’s disease and melanoma
The results of this study confirm an association between Parkinson’s disease and melanoma, but the causes have not been identified. New research is needed to highlight the processes linking these two pathologies.
In the meantime, patients with one of the two diseases should be monitored for the other in order to achieve better diagnosis and early treatment.
“Future research should focus on identifying common genes, immune responses and environmental exposures that may link these two diseases,” says Lauren Dalvin of the Mayo Foundation. “If we can identify the cause of the association between Parkinson disease and melanoma, we will be able to better counsel patients and families about their risk of developing one disease as part of the other. “
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