Artificial sources of UV radiation, such as sunlamps and tanning booths, can also cause skin cancer. UV radiation can cause misspellings in DNA and, as a result, damage skin cells. About 10 percent of all patients with melanoma have family members who also have had the disease. When melanoma runs in a family, the family members should be checked regularly by a doctor. Worldwide, the highest rates of skin cancer are found in South Africa and Australia, areas that receive high amounts of UV radiation.
Skin cancer is related to lifetime exposure to UV radiation.
Most skin cancers appear after age 50, but the sun's damaging effects begin at an early age. Melanoma can be cured if it is diagnosed and treated when the tumor has not deeply invaded the skin. However, if a melanoma is not removed at its early stages, cancer cells may grow downward from the skin surface. When a melanoma becomes thick and deep, the disease often spreads to other parts of the body and is difficult to control. Surgery is the standard treatment for melanoma.