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Medical Author:

Gary W. Cole, MD, FAAD

Gary W. Cole, MD, FAAD

Dr. Cole is board certified in dermatology. He obtained his BA degree in bacteriology, his MA degree in microbiology, and his MD at the University of California, Los Angeles. He trained in dermatology at the University of Oregon, where he completed his residency.

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Medical Editor:

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.

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Like most cancers, the cause of melanomas involves interplay between genetic and environmental factors. It is generally agreed that ultraviolet-light-induced mutations in melanocytes is the single most important environmental factor in the induction of cutaneous melanomas. The fact that melanomas are difficult to produce experimentally as well as their appearance in areas of the body in which no light exposure occurs has fueled some controversy as to cause. On the other hand, there is an interesting correlation between exposure to sunlight as defined by the earth's latitude and the incidence of melanoma. Melanomas tend to occur on sun-exposed skin in lightly pigmented individuals. There are important genetic factors that predispose certain individuals to produce melanomas. Some of these genes have been identified.

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