ASK THE EXPERT: How can I develop melanoma on the bottom of my
foot?  By Marcy Street, MD  Marcy Street, MD, is a Mayo Clinic-
trained dermatologist. Dr. Street was the first fellowship-
trained African American female Mohs surgeon in the United
States. She is the Founder and Medical Director of the Doctor’s
Approach family of services, including Doctor’s Approach
Dermatology, a complete care medical clinic specializing in skin
cancer, and Doctor’s Approach Medspa & Laser Center.  Q. I
thought skin cancers were caused by sun exposure. But I have
been diagnosed with a melanoma on the bottom of my foot, which
is almost never exposed to the sun. Why did a melanoma develop
there?  A. Skin cancers are most often caused by the cumulative
ultra-violet (UV) damage from chronic and/or periodically
intense sun exposure over one’s lifetime. But other factors can
be involved as well — above all, genetic predisposition. Some
key genetic factors include being fair-skinned and having light
hair and eyes. People with these cha