Vitiligo and cutaneous malignancy: what is the risk?
Vitiligo is a disorder of depigmentation affecting up to two percent of the global population. It is a long-held belief that patients with vitiligo have an increased risk for skin cancers due to the loss of melanin, a pigment which protects the skin against carcinogenesis. Phototherapy, a mainstay t...
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| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Pigment International |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/pigmentinternational_28_24 |
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| Summary: | Vitiligo is a disorder of depigmentation affecting up to two percent of the global population. It is a long-held belief that patients with vitiligo have an increased risk for skin cancers due to the loss of melanin, a pigment which protects the skin against carcinogenesis. Phototherapy, a mainstay treatment modality for vitiligo, is similarly debated in literature over its carcinogenic potential on the skin due to ultraviolet (UV) exposure. However, new research shows that neither vitiligo nor its treatments are implicated in increased skin cancer risks. Unfortunately, this is not a common knowledge amongst patients, general practitioners (GPs) and dermatologists, which is a disservice to patients with vitiligo. This review outlines the current evidence surrounding skin cancer risks for patients with vitiligo and hopes to provide recommendations for clinical practice to improve the quality of life (QoL) of those affected. |
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| ISSN: | 2349-5782 |