Senator John McCain, the Republican presidential nominee, is 72 years old, and if elected, he will be the oldest person ever inaugurated into a first term in the White House. The senator’s age may be an important reason why Sarah Palin, who is a youthful 44, was selected as his running mate.

Mr. McCain’s age has been an oft-mentioned issue during this election season, even garnering him the new nickname, coined by Paris Hilton, of “that wrinkly, white-haired guy”. These concerns about his age may have contributed to his recent selection of Governor Sarah Palin, a 44-year old former beauty contestant and mother of five, as his running mate.

While some voters may be assuaged by this, Senator McCain has also made a “Statement of Health Status” available on his campaign website. While this statement makes it clear that Mr. McCain is currently both healthy and energetic, it also provides a reminder that in addition to enduring five years in the Hanoi Hilton, Senator McCain has also survived the deadliest of skin cancers, melanoma.

Voters who are not sure that Sarah Palin’s experience as the governor of Alaska has prepared her to be the leader of the free world may want to know a bit more about this disease. Senator McCain has been in remission since 1993, but with every year that passes around 150,000 new people are diagnosed with melanoma. If melanoma is diagnosed early, it is usually curable, but if the cancer goes unnoticed and spreads, it can be fatal – in fact, 50,000 people die from it each year.

Melanoma begins in skin cells called melanocytes which produce a pigment called melanin, the agent that gives skin its color and protects the body from sun damage. When you spend time in the sun, the melanocytes make more protective melanin, causing your skin to tan. If you receive too much sunlight, however, the melanocytes may begin to mutate and turn cancerous. Because melanoma occurs in the cells that give skin its color, this form of cancer usually appears as a spot of darkened pigment, or a mole.

Most people know that excessive exposure to ultraviolet light increases one’s risk for developing melanoma. Other important risk factors include many moles, a previous melanoma, an immunosuppressed state, fair skin and light eyes, and a family history of melanoma. For example, Senator McCain’s risk factors include light skin, light eyes and a history of excessive sun exposure – as well as a personal history of melanoma.

There is every reason to believe that Senator McCain will be both healthy and productive for the next eight years. Nonetheless, an informed voter should consider his age, health history, and Governor Palin’s resume before casting their vote on Election Day.

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Related Links:

• Video: Understanding Melanoma from illumistream health
• The Skin Cancer Foundation
• John McCain For President