Xeroderma pigmentosum

Xeroderma pigmentosum is a rare, autosomal recessive genetic disorder in which the mechanism of DNA repair is hindered by ultraviolet light damage. In extreme cases, all exposure to sunlight must be forbidden, no matter how small; as such, individuals with the disease are often colloquially referred to as "children of the night". Multiple basal cell carcinomas (basaliomas) and other skin malignancies frequently occur at a young age in those with xeroderma pigmentosum; metastatic malignant melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma are the two most common causes of death in victims.