La enfermedad de Parkinson eleva riesgo de melanoma

Un análisis de 12 estudios del Instituto Nacional de Ciencias de la Salud Medioambiental de Estados Unidos, publicado en el periódico Neurology, indicó que los hombres afectados de Parkinson tienen el doble de posibilidades que el resto de la población de contraer un melanoma (la forma más peligrosa de cáncer de piel), mientras las mujeres en la misma situación son 1,5 veces más proclives.
En cada uno de los 12 estudios, que se llevaron a cabo entre 1965 y 2010, el número de pacientes que sufría Parkinson y melanoma al mismo tiempo no superaba los 10 casos, pero el análisis global pone claramente en evidencia la existencia de una relación entre las dos enfermedades.
"Los pacientes que sufren la enfermedad de Parkinson tienen en general menos peligro de contraer un cáncer, en particular aquellos relacionados al tabaco, pero podrían tener mayor riesgo de melanoma", resumió Honglei Chen, autor de la investigación. "Una de las explicaciones posibles a este vínculo entre la enfermedad de Parkinson y el melanoma es que ambos males podrían tener en común factores de riesgo genéticos o medioambientales", señaló.
Entre 5 y 10 millones de personas en el mundo sufren la enfemedad de Parkinson, una enfermedad neurodegenerativa que causa rigidez muscular, dificultad para iniciar movimientos, falta de equilibrio y lentitud en las acciones voluntarias.
Aproximadamente 132.000 melanomas son diagnosticados cada año en el mundo, según la Organización Mundial de la Salud.

People With Parkinson's Disease May Have Double the Risk for Melanoma

An analysis of several studies shows that people with Parkinson's disease have a significantly higher risk of melanoma, the most dangerous type of skin cancer and the leading cause of death from skin diseases. The research is published in the June 7, 2011, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Parkinson's disease is a brain disorder that causes tremors and difficulty with movement and walking. It affects about one million people in the United States.
"Past studies linking Parkinson's disease and melanoma have not been conclusive, so we wanted to explore a larger group of studies to see whether the link was consistent," said study author Honglei Chen, MD, PhD, with the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, a division of the National Institutes of Health in Research Triangle Park, N.C., and a member of the American Academy of Neurology.
The research examined 12 studies conducted from 1965 and 2010 that looked at the possible association between Parkinson's disease and melanoma. Most of the studies had fewer than 10 cases with both conditions.
The study found that men with Parkinson's disease were twice as likely as those without Parkinson's to have melanoma. Women with Parkinson's disease were one-and-a-half times as likely to be diagnosed with the dangerous form of skin cancer compared to women without Parkinson's. There was no clear link found between Parkinson's and non-melanoma skin cancer.
"Parkinson's disease patients in general have a lower risk for cancer, smoking-related cancers in particular, but they may have a higher risk for melanoma. One possible explanation for the link between Parkinson's and melanoma is that the two diseases may share some genetic or environmental risk factors," Chen said. "However, our understanding of this link is very preliminary."