Research Has Debunked the Myth That Vitiligo Raises Skin Cancer Risk.
Vitiligo is believed to be an autoimmune disease in which the immune system destroys melanin (pigment). That creates white patches of skin. Immunotherapy for skin cancer may help cause vitiligo. However, despite the increased sunburn risk, vitiligo doesn't appear to cause skin cancer.
Vitiligo can occur suddenly in people with melanoma who are not getting ICI treatment. It can also occur before melanoma is diagnosed. In these cases, it can sometimes be hard to know whether someone has normal vitiligo or if it is related to melanoma. This can lead to misdiagnosis and late detection of skin cancer.
White spots on the skin are rarely a sign of skin cancer and may instead link to other conditions. However, it is important to carefully examine the color and other changes to a spot because enlarged white, pinkish, or red moles and wounds that won't heal can signify skin cancer.
Vitiligo does not pose a serious threat to one's health, but it can result in physical complications, such as eye issues, hearing problems, and sunburn. People with vitiligo also tend to be more likely to have another autoimmune disease (like thyroid disorders and some types of anemia).
Vitiligo is an autoimmune disease of the skin, which means that someone with vitiligo has an immune system that is malfunctioning in a small way. The normal role of the immune system is to protect you from infections and cancer.
Sometimes an event – such as a sunburn, emotional distress, or exposure to a chemical – can trigger vitiligo or make it worse.
However, vitiligo has been associated with cutaneous melanoma since the 1970s. Most of the antigens recognized by the immune system are expressed by both melanoma cells and normal melanocytes, explaining why the autoimmune response against melanocytes that led to vitiligo could be also present in melanoma patients.
Stage 1 skin cancer can vary in appearance depending on the type of skin cancer. Generally, it appears as a small growth or sore with a pearly or waxy appearance. It may also look like a red, scaly patch or a pink or flesh-colored bump.
Your dermatologist may need more information about your skin cells to confirm a diagnosis of vitiligo. A skin biopsy can definitively tell the difference between missing melanocytes, which indicates vitiligo, and melanocytes that are malfunctioning for another reason.
Vitiligo is associated with other autoimmune diseases: Addison disease (disorder that occurs when the adrenal glands do not produce enough hormones) Thyroid disease. Pernicious anemia (decrease in red blood cells that occurs when the intestines cannot properly absorb vitamin B12)
Pityriasis versicolor can sometimes be confused with vitiligo, as they both cause the skin to become discoloured in patches. But there are ways to tell the difference: vitiligo often develops symmetrically (on both sides of your body at the same time), while pityriasis versicolor may not.
About 15 to 25 percent of people with vitiligo are also affected by at least one other autoimmune disorder, particularly autoimmune thyroid disease, rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes, psoriasis , pernicious anemia, Addison disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, celiac disease, Crohn disease, or ulcerative colitis.
The disease does not affect life expectancy. However, it can have a significant impact on quality of life, especially psychologically and be responsible for disorders such as depression and anxiety.
Vitiligo is epidemiologically associated with increased risk of autoimmune thyroid disease, type 1 diabetes, pernicious anemia, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and Addison's disease8,15.
Several studies showed that vitiligo has been associated with autoimmune thyroid diseases, pernicious anemia, Addison's disease.
Although the SIRs of melanoma, cancers of oral cavity, hepatoma and lymphoma were also increased in vitiligo patients, the significance was lost after correction for multiple testing.
The one significant observation that we found to have the poor prognostic implication in vitiligo is the presence of mucosal vitiligo.
General symptoms
hard lump on your skin. unexplained pain. feeling very tired or unwell.
To the best of our knowledge, vitamin D significantly affects melanocytes and keratinocytes. Studies suggest that vitamin D3 increases tyrosinase activity and melanogenesis in vitro [12], which may lead to repigmentation in vitiligo skin lesions.
A bad sunburn can worsen vitiligo. If you have a lighter skin tone, there's another advantage to protecting your skin from the sun. Without a tan, the lighter spots and patches are often less noticeable.