According to a new study, women might be susceptible to a form of skin cancer that scientists have until now overlooked.
Melanoma, the class of cancer that affects melanin-producing cells, is currently divided into several types—including ones that specifically affect skin cells and mucous membranes. Vaginal melanoma is usually considered part of the latter group, but a report in Cancer suggests the vagina and vulva may be prone to their own variation of the disease.
By analyzing 51 cancerous samples from the vulva (the external part of the genitals) and the vaginal canal, as well as 2,253 from other parts of the body, the researchers discovered that melanomas in the first category tend to have several common mutations that other types don't—and to be missing some that the others have.
“The unique molecular features of VVM [vulvar and vaginal melanomas] render this disease a distinct subtype of melanoma,” the paper concludes, which means they may require their own type of treatment.
Melanoma is the rarest but most dangerous type of skin cancer. (If you're wondering, this is what it can look like.) Vaginal and vulvar melanomas are especially rare, constituting less than one in 50 cases in women, but they're life-threatening.
The American Cancer Society predicts melanoma will take nearly 10,000 lives this year and recommends keeping yourself safe from the sun and avoiding tanning to decrease your risk.
