RIsk Factors For Melanoma

Immune Suppression

When the immune system is in a weakened state, it cannot adequately perform the process of immuno-surveillance, which is when the immune system checks through the cells in the body to ensure they are not showing protein indicators that look suspicious. When the immune system does find cells tagged with cancer-suspicious proteins in a healthy individual, it will quickly destroy them. In individuals who experience immune suppression however, the lack of immuno-surveillance puts them at a significantly higher risk of developing melanoma because the body does not know to destroy the first signs of it. Numerous medications used to treat other serious conditions can cause immune suppression. Individuals who have had organ transplants usually have to take immuno-suppressant drugs for the rest of their life to help prevent rejection of the transplanted organ. Patients who have undergone a splenectomy to remove the spleen or have a spleen that does not function are also at higher risk of developing melanoma from a suppressed immune system.

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