|
Last Updated: Apr 22, 2008 - 8:04:48 AM |
What is melanoma?
Melanoma is a most serious type of skin cancer. The cancer starts in melanocytes - cells that make the pigment melanin, but can also begin in a mole or other pigmented tissues such as in the eye or in the intestines. 53,600 Americans are diagnosed with this disease each year and 8,420 are expected to die.
Where does melanoma occur?
In men, melanoma occurs often on the trunk - the area between the shoulders and the hips, or the head and neck while in women it often develops on the lower legs. The disease is rare in black people and others with dark skin when it does develop in the dark-skinned people, it often occur under the fingernails or toenails or on the palms or soles.
(The risk of death from melanoma is associated with the location. A new study led by Nancy Thomas, M.D., Ph.D., at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill analyzed 51,704 melanoma cases in the U.S. and found those with scalp or neck melanomas die at a rate 1.84 times higher than those who had melanomas on the extremities. The association held true even after age, gender, tumor thickness and ulceration were considered, editor's note: this paragraph is not present in the government document)
Can melanoma spread to other organs?
Melanoma can spread to other organs. When melanoma spreads, its cells can show up in lymph nodes and when the cancer cells reach the lymph nodes, they may have spread to other parts of the body such as the liver, lungs, or brain and develop metastatic melanoma in those organs.
What are the causes for melanoma?
So far no one knows for sure what exactly causes melanoma and doctors can seldom explain why one person gets it while another does not.
What are the risk factors for melanoma?
Research has associated a number of factors with increased risk of the disease. The possible risk factors include the following:
Moles known as dysplastic nevi - these moles are more likely than the ordinary moles to become cancerous;
High numbers of moles - the more moles a person has, the higher his risk is for getting the disease;
Fair skin - people with fair skin are more likely to have the disease than people with dark skin. White people are at higher risk than lack people to develop the disease;
History of skin cancer or melanoma - people who have had melanoma or skin cancer are at higher risk of melanoma or second melanoma; Melanoma sometimes runs in families. Those who have two or more close relatives who have had the disease are at higher risk. About 10 percent of cases have a relative with the disease;
Weakened immune system - people whose immune system has been weakened by other cancers, drugs given after organ transplantation or HIV are at higher risk;
Sunburns - People who have had at least one severe blistering sunburn in childhood or teenage years are at increased risk for melanoma;
UV radiation - Some experts believe the increasing worldwide incidence of melanoma is related to increased exposure to the sun. (But this speculation has been disputed by some scientists. At least one study shows that increased incidence of melanoma is associated with exposure to radio wave from TV and radio station towers, - editor's note: this is not a statement from cancer.gov).
What are the signs that suggest a lesion may be melanoma?
To determine whether a lesion is melanoma or not, one can watch the change of its size, shape, color or feel of the lesion or an existing mole. Most melanomas have a black or blue-black area. The cancer may also appear as a new mole which may be black, abnormal or ugly looking.
The commonly used rules are simply known as ABCD rules. A refers to Asymmetry, meaning that one half of the lesion does not match the other. B refers to Border, meaning that the edges of the lesion are ragged, notched, blurred or irregular in outline and the pigment can spread into the surrounding skin. C refers to Color, meaning the color is uneven and multiple colors can be present in the same lesion. D refers to Diameter, meaning that the size of the lesion usually larger than the size of a pencil eraser. Remember not all the features have to be present at the same time for a lesion to be a melanoma.
(A study conducted by David Polsky, M.D., Ph.D. at New York University
and colleagues confirmed an important warning sign of melanoma - moles
that are larger than 6 millimeters, the size of a pencil eraser, are
more likely to be melanomas.
In the study, the researchers found 5.1 percent of lesions with a
diameter larger than 6 millimeter were invasive melanomas compared to
1.5 percent of
lesions
equal or smaller than 6 mm. In situ melanomas were found in 7.7 percent
of lesions larger than 6 mm compared to 2.6 percent of lesions equal or
smaller than 6 mm. - editor's note: this is not present in the government document)
Melanoma can be stopped when it is removed at its early stage. But when the cancer grows downward from the skin surface and invades the healthy tissue, it becomes hard to control.
How would melanoma be diagnosed clinically?
When a doctor suspects a spot on the skin is melanoma, he may order a biopsy, which is the only way to make a definite diagnosis.
How is melanoma staged?
Once the diagnosis is melanoma, the doctor would have to determine the stage of the disease before planning treatment. The stage of the disease will determine the way how a patient gets treated. The doctor may stage the disease based on whether melanoma cells have spread to nearby lymph nodes or other parts the body. The doctors may also do physical exam, chest x-rays, blood tests and scans of the liver, bones and brain for the staging. There are a total of five stages from stage 0 to stage IV.
How is melanoma treated?
Treatment for melanoma depends on the stage of the disease, the patient's age and general health and other factors. Treatment may be managed by a team of specialists including a dermatologist, surgeon, medical oncologist, radiation oncologist and plastic surgeon.
Treatments for melanoma include surgery, chemotherapy, biological therapy or radiation therapy. Treatments may also include symptom management, supportive care or palliative care, which are used to control and manage pain and other symptoms.
How to perform a skin self-exam?
The National Cancer Institute recommends the following:
Your doctor or nurse may recommend that you do a regular skin self-exam. If your doctor has taken photos of your skin, comparing your skin to the photos can help you check for changes.
The best time to do a skin self-exam is after a shower or bath. You should check your skin in a well-lighted room using a full-length mirror and a hand-held mirror. It’s best to begin by learning where your birthmarks, moles, and blemishes are and what they usually look and feel like.
Check for anything new:
* A new mole (that looks abnormal)
* A change in the size, shape, color, or texture of a mole
* A sore that does not heal
Check yourself from head to toe. Don’t forget to check all areas of the skin, including the back, the scalp, between the buttocks, and the genital area.
1. Look at your face, neck, ears, and scalp. You may want to use a comb or a blow dryer to move your hair so that you can see better. You also may want to have a relative or friend check through your hair because this is difficult to do yourself.
2. Look at the front and back of your body in the mirror, then raise your arms and look at your left and right sides.
3. Bend your elbows and look carefully at your fingernails, palms, forearms (including the undersides), and upper arms.
4. Examine the back, front, and sides of your legs. Also look between your buttocks and around your genital area.
5. Sit and closely examine your feet, including the toenails, the soles, and the spaces between the toes.
By checking your skin regularly, you will become familiar with what is normal for you. It may be helpful to record the dates of your skin exams and to write notes about the way your skin looks. If you find anything unusual, see your doctor right away.
© 2004-2008 by foodconsumer.org unless otherwise specified
Top of Page
|
