Int J Dermatol: Melanoma survivors are at increased risk of developing a second primary keratinocarcinoma

Melanoma is one of
the most commonly diagnosed cancers worldwide.
A recent large cohort report shows that melanoma survivors are at risk
of developing a second form of keratinocarcinoma (KC).
However, the detailed proportions and risks remain unknown
.
Given the socioeconomic burden and mortality associated with a second KC, determining the detailed risk of a second primary BCC or SCC after initial melanoma treatment is critical
to inform long-term outcomes and design follow-up protocols.
A meta-analysis published today in Int J Dermatol aims to comprehensively analyze the risk of
developing keratinocarcinoma after primary melanoma.

The researchers searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane libraries for articles
included before September 13, 2021.
Pooled proportions and standardised incidence rates (SIRs) and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) were pooled to assess risk
.

As a result, 15 studies covering 168,286 patients
were included.
The proportion of melanoma survivors who developed basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and KC after pooling was 4.
11% (95% CI, 1.
32 to 6.
90), 2.
54% (95% CI, 1.
78 to 3.
31), and 5.
45% (95% CI, 3.
06 to 7.
84),
respectively 。 The analysis showed that melanoma survivors had a 5.
3-fold increased risk of developing a second BCC, SCC, and KC compared with the general population (SIR 5.
30; 95% CI, 4.
87-5.
77), 2.
6-fold (SIR 2.
58; 95% CI, 1.
33-5.
04), and 6.
2-fold (SIR 6.
17; 95% CI, 3.
66-10.
39),
respectively.
In meta-analyses, both fixed-effect and random-effects models were applied and consistent conclusions
were drawn.

Taken together, the findings suggest that melanoma survivors are at higher risk of developing a second primary BCC and SCC, suggesting the significance of monitoring and preventing a second primary KC in patients with a history of
melanoma.
Further research is needed to elucidate the carcinogenic mechanisms in melanoma patients and to optimize screening guidelines for early detection and prevention of subsequent KC
.

Original source:

Huiyan Sun, et al.
, Melanoma survivors are at increased risk for second primary keratinocyte carcinoma.
Int J Dermatol.
2022 Nov; 61(11):1397-1404.
doi: 10.
1111/ijd.
16309.