Recent studies have confirmed that people with Parkinson’s are more likely to develop malignant melanoma, reports the Archives of Neurology.
Many previous studies have shown a link between melanoma and Parkinson’s disease, but it was unclear whether it was caused by the disease itself or by medications that patients were taking.
In the 70s, reports began to appear that the likelihood of skin cancer was increased with treatment with levodopa (a catecholamine that increases the concentration of dopamine in the brain). In a recent study, however, American scientists did not find any evidence that this drug could affect the risk of melanoma (85% of respondents were taking levodopa).
Dr. John Bertoni from the University of Nebraska Medical Center in cooperation with scientists from 31 American medical institutions conducted research in which over 2 people participated. people with Parkinson’s. The patients underwent neurological and dermatological tests, during which about 1% of them were diagnosed with malignant melanoma.
When comparing the study results with statistics based on the results of the American Academy of Dermatology screening programs, it turned out that the risk of malignant melanoma in Parkinson’s patients is significantly higher compared to the general population. Therefore, scientists emphasize the need for more frequent screening of people suffering from neurodegenerative diseases so that suspicious changes in the skin can be detected in time (PAP).