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High prevalence of malignant melanoma in Israeli patients with Parkinson’s disease

  • Movement Disorders - Original Article
  • Published:
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Abstract

The risk of melanoma is higher in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) than in the general population. Whether the association is disease related or treatment related is unclear. The objective of this study was to assess melanoma prevalence in PD patients in Israel using active dermatologic screening. Consecutive patients with idiopathic PD were recruited by 12 Israeli centers. A movement disorder specialist assessed the severity of PD and obtained a medical, neurological, and medication history. Subsequently, a dermatologist assessed melanoma risk factors, recorded a dermatologic history, proactively performed a whole-body skin examination, and biopsied suspicious skin lesions. Of the enrolled patients (n = 1,395, mean age 69.5 ± 10.6 years, mean PD duration 7.3 ± 6.0 years), 95.3% were treated with dopaminergic agents. Biopsies revealed 8 patients with melanoma in situ and 1 with invasive malignant melanoma; 14 patients reported a melanoma prior to enrollment. The observed 5-year limited duration prevalence of melanoma in PD patients was 4.4 times greater (95% CI 2.6–7.6) than expected from melanoma prevalence in an age- and sex-matched cohort from the Israel National Cancer Registry. The increase was accounted for by an elevated prevalence of melanoma in situ [relative risk 12.5 (95% CI 6.7–23.2)]. Occurrence of melanoma did not correlate with levodopa therapy or time of onset of PD. Melanoma prevalence in PD patients was higher than expected in the general Israeli population. This was not related to levodopa treatment. PD patients should be actively screened for melanoma on a routine basis.

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Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge Stephanie G. Phillips, PhD, for her editorial and professional assistance, and Shaul Kadosh and Svetlana Rubinchick, both of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd, Netanya, Israel, for their critical statistical analyses. Statistical analyses were performed by Mr. Shaul Kadosh and Ms. Svetlana Rubinchick, both of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd, Netanya, Israel.

Conflict of interest

Rivka Inzelberg, MD, received a consultant fee from the sponsor (unrelated to the study and less than $10,000/year). Ron Milo, MD, received a grant from the sponsor in 1995 (unrelated to the study and less than $10,000/year). Cheryl Fitzer-Attas, PhD, is a current employee of the sponsor. Nir Giladi, MD, received grants from the sponsor and honoraria during the course of the study (both less than $10,000/year).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Sagol Neuroscience Center, Department of Neurology, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel

    R. Inzelberg, S. Hassin-Baer & O. Cohen

  2. Department of Neurology, Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, Zerifin, Israel

    J. M. Rabey

  3. Department of Neurology, Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tikva, Israel

    E. Melamed & R. Djaldetti

  4. Department of Neurology, Hadassah Hospital, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel

    A. Reches

  5. Department of Neurology, Carmel Medical Center, Haifa, Israel

    S. Badarny

  6. Department of Dermatology, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel

    H. Trau

  7. Department of Neurology, Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, Israel

    J. Aharon-Peretz

  8. Department of Neurology, Barzilai Medical Center, Ashkelon, Israel

    R. Milo

  9. Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University, Beer-Sheva, Israel

    R. Milo

  10. Department of Neurology, Bnei Zion Medical Center, Haifa, Israel

    M. Schwartz

  11. Department of Neurology, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel

    M. Huberman

  12. Department of Dermatology, Hadassah Hospital, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel

    L. Gilead

  13. Israel Cancer Registry, Israel Ministry of Health, Jerusalem, Israel

    M. Barchana

  14. School of Public Health, Haifa University, Haifa, Israel

    M. Barchana & I. Liphshiz

  15. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc, Petah Tikva, Israel

    C. Fitzer-Attas

  16. Department of Neurology, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, 6 Weizmann Street, 64239, Tel Aviv, Israel

    N. Giladi

  17. Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

    R. Inzelberg, J. M. Rabey, E. Melamed, R. Djaldetti, S. Hassin-Baer, O. Cohen, H. Trau, M. Huberman & N. Giladi

  18. Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion, Haifa, Israel

    S. Badarny, J. Aharon-Peretz & M. Schwartz

Authors
  1. R. Inzelberg
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  2. J. M. Rabey
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  3. E. Melamed
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  4. R. Djaldetti
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  5. A. Reches
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  6. S. Badarny
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  7. S. Hassin-Baer
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  8. O. Cohen
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  9. H. Trau
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  10. J. Aharon-Peretz
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  11. R. Milo
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  12. M. Schwartz
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  13. M. Huberman
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  14. L. Gilead
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  15. M. Barchana
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  16. I. Liphshiz
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  17. C. Fitzer-Attas
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  18. N. Giladi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to N. Giladi.

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Inzelberg, R., Rabey, J.M., Melamed, E. et al. High prevalence of malignant melanoma in Israeli patients with Parkinson’s disease. J Neural Transm 118, 1199–1207 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-011-0580-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-011-0580-2

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