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People who are diagnosed with nonmelanoma skin cancer are at increased risk to get affected by melanoma and other types of cancers, according to a new study. The link is stronger among young people. 

After analyzing data from more than 500,000 people researchers came to such conclusions. All involved subjects had a history of nonmelanoma skin cancer. They were followed for five to six years. The data obtained were then compared with a group of nearly 8.7 million people without nonmelanoma skin cancer. 

They found that compared to those who never had the disease, the the nonmelanoma skin cancer survivors were 1.36 times more likely to develop other types of cancer, younger patients bring at the greater risk. 

Researcher also found that it was 23 times higher for people younger than 25 years. On the contrary, the risk was 3.5 times higher for those who aged between 25-44. Someone who was diagnosed with non-melanoma skin cancer between ages 45 and 59 only had a 1.74 times increased risk.

"Our study shows that [nonmelanoma skin cancer] susceptibility is an important indicator of susceptibility to malignant tumors and that the risk is especially high among people who develop [the condition] at a young age," Dr. Rodney Sinclair, director of dermatology at the Epworth Hospital in Australia, said in a journal news release.

"The risk increases for a large group of seemingly unrelated cancers; however, the greatest risk relates to other cancers induced by sunlight, such as melanoma," added Sinclair, who is also a professor of medicine at the University of Melbourne.

The study is published in the new issue of the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.