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March 27, 2008
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NeuroScience Insights for Health Care Professionals
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The physicians and staff of The Neuroscience Group are providing this physician and provider communication to help you stay abreast of issues and updates in the dynamic field of neurosciences, with the goal of helping you provide better overall healthcare services to your patients.
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Melanoma-Links to Levodopa or Parkinson's disease (PD)?
In 1972 a link between levodopa and melanoma was first reported. Since that time, this association has not been supported. However, recent studies do demonstrate a potential link between melanoma and PD. Screening is warranted, as patients with PD may be at more than twice the risk of developing malignant melanoma than the rest of the population. Bertoni and colleagues reported at a recent ANA meeting in Chicago. The prevalence of melanoma in patients with PD in North America is about 1.1%. Patients with melanoma and PD were older and had more severe PD. Risk factors for developing melanoma include fair complexion, blue eyes, sun
sensitivity, history of childhood sunburn, inability to tan, family history of melanoma, changes in moles, and immunsupression. Invasive melanoma prevalence was 2.2 times higher than age and sex-matched population cohorts.
The study demonstrated no increased incidence in those receiving levodopa. However, nearly 85% of the study participants were being treated with levodopa at one time or another. Although the PDR lists melanoma as a contraindication for levodopa therapy, a number of studies have shown that treatment does not contribute to increased risk of melanoma. Researchers continue to evaluate if the increased risk for either melanoma or PD is caused by environmental or genetic factors common to both, as well as whether the risk is bidirectional. Melanoma screening may be important to consider in that the researchers found suspicious lesions in 25% of those
studied. And, over 6% had some form of skin cancer.
For more information on treating Parkinson's disease, contact:
gizell.larson@neurosciencegroup.com
susan.hibbs@neurosciencegroup.com
steven.price@neurosciencegroup.com
lisa.kokontis@neurosciencegroup.com
thomas.mattio@neurosciencegroup.com
penny.bernard@neurosciencegroup.com
karla.sagorac@neurosciencegroup.com
cathy.west@neurosciencegroup.com |
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