A new study published in Acta Dermato-Venereologica found that people with systemic mastocytosis (SM) and other forms of mastocytosis may face an elevated risk of developing certain skin cancers, including melanoma and basal cell carcinoma (BCC).
A team of researchers in Sweden used data from national health registries to identify 2,040 people diagnosed with mastocytosis between 2001 and 2018 and compared them to 10,193 individuals in the general population.
Among those with mastocytosis, 63 patients were diagnosed with malignant melanoma or melanoma in situ (stage 0) and 168 with basal cell carcinoma (BCC). In comparison, skin cancer cases in the general population were much lower. The researchers found that mastocytosis patients were more than twice as likely to develop melanoma and nearly 80% more likely to develop BCC.
BCC is the most common type of skin cancer in the world and is considered very treatable, with a high cure rate and low risk of spreading to other parts of the body. Melanoma, on the other hand, is the most deadly form of skin cancer, though outcomes are much better if it’s detected in early stages.
The researchers noted that a significant proportion of skin cancers were identified around the time of mastocytosis diagnosis, suggesting that increased medical attention and frequent skin checks may partly account for the higher rates.
However, this is unlikely to be the only explanation. Other factors may be at play, including ultraviolet (UV) light exposure from sunlight and UV-based therapies sometimes used to ease mastocytosis symptoms, such as itching. Some previous studies have suggested that KIT gene mutations that contribute to mastocytosis onset may also play a role in promoting melanoma development.
Learn more about SM causes and risk factors
The study did not separate systemic from cutaneous mastocytosis, and lacked detailed data on sun exposure, UV treatment and melanoma stage, making it difficult to determine exact risks for people living with SM. Still, the results underscore the importance of proactive skin surveillance for this population.
“Skin checkups of mastocytosis patients should focus not only on mastocytosis-related skin changes, but also on surveillance for lesions with malignant potential,” the study’s authors wrote.
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