Which factor has the strongest association with malignant melanoma?

Which factor has the strongest association with malignant melanoma?

• A. sun exposure early in life
• B. family history of malignant melanoma
• C. fair skin coloring
• D. living near the equator

Answer: (A)

Sun exposure, especially intense UV exposure during childhood, has the strongest link to melanoma because ultraviolet light damages skin DNA, increasing the likelihood of mutations that drive malignant transformation. Early-life sunburns and higher lifetime UV exposure set up the greatest long-term risk. The other factors—family history, fair skin, and living near the equator—raise risk by making skin more vulnerable or increasing UV exposure, but they don’t show as strong an association as early-life sun exposure with melanoma development.

Sun exposure, especially intense UV exposure during childhood, has the strongest link to melanoma because ultraviolet light damages skin DNA, increasing the likelihood of mutations that drive malignant transformation. Early-life sunburns and higher lifetime UV exposure set up the greatest long-term risk. The other factors—family history, fair skin, and living near the equator—raise risk by making skin more vulnerable or increasing UV exposure, but they don’t show as strong an association as early-life sun exposure with melanoma development.