Inverse Relationship between Vitiligo-Related Genes and Skin Cancer Risk

Vitiligo, the most common cutaneous depigmentation disorder, affects up to 2% of the population and is characterized by immune-mediated destruction of melanocytes, causing depigmentation of the skin, hair, and oral mucosa (Kruger and Schallreuter, 2012). Affected skin lacks melanin, which plays a critical role in protecting against UV-mediated mutagenesis (Jin et al., 2012). Because UV exposure is a well-established risk factor for skin cancers, vitiligo was initially presumed to confer increased risk for both melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) (Rodrigues, 2017).