Listen up, sun worshipers, there’s yet another reason to slather on SPF 105.
Researchers are now exploring the link between melanoma and Parkinson’s Disease (PD).
The root cause is not conclusive, but there seems to be a relationship between the chronic, debilitating movement disorder and one of the most prevalent forms of cancer.
It’s a chicken and egg proposition. Does skin cancer cause PD? Or does PD cause skin cancer? Perhaps neither.
There have been a number of studies that indicated a PD-skin cancer link, and a recent study released by the Mayo Clinic seems to confirm the connection.
Reviewing patient records gathered over 38 years, researchers found patients with PD had a 3.8-fold increased likelihood of having preexisting melanoma (as compared with controls); patients with melanoma had a 4.2-fold increased risk of developing PD.
Is there a common cause? The most prevalent theory is the use of levodopa (a synthetic drug used to treat PD). Levodopa is converted to dopamine in the brain to replace the naturally occurring compound essential for movement. But researchers just aren’t sure.
And yet, with four times the risk, the numbers are enough to make even skeptics take notice.
Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) have another theory. Just a few months ago, they released results of their study on lab mice that indicated direct influences of the melanoma-linked MC1R gene on the main source of dopamine in the brain. According to lead researcher, Xiqun Chen, MD, PhD, this gene is vulnerable to the toxins that can damage the brain, leading to Parkinson’s.
He believes targeting MC1R may be a therapeutic strategy for treatment.
Yes, it seems unfair that people with Parkinson’s should have to worry about skin cancer, too—and visa versa. But as evidence adds up, the link may be inspiring pathologists to explore genetic, immune, or environmental factors that could be at play. Common denominators between these two diseases could provide insight into new treatments. Time—and more research—will tell. But for now, keep wearing that hat and zinc oxide.
Are you or someone you know living with Parkinson’s Disease? Have a theory about its causes? Share your story with the Patient Worthy community!
