Common Causes And Risk Factors For Subungual Melanoma

Presence Of An Immunosuppressive Condition

An individual with an immunosuppressive condition has a higher chance of developing subungual melanoma than healthy individuals. Individuals who have HIV or AIDS have a weakened immune system and are more likely to contract other viruses known to cause several different kinds of cancer, including subungual melanoma. Individuals being treated after an organ transplant or for an autoimmune disease may be taking medication that causes an immunosuppressive condition in their body. The immune system in a healthy individual has numerous complex mechanisms in place that detect cells around the body containing abnormal DNA. Once detected, the cells containing abnormal DNA are either destroyed or repaired by other components of the immune system. This process prevents these cells from growing and multiplying out of control, which is what causes malignancy. When the overall immune system is weakened, the body directs its immune components to perform the most critical functions at that time. This process exacerbates the deficiency of the immune elements that do eliminate abnormal DNA containing cells, which may result in subungual melanoma and other forms of cancer.