MALIGNANT MELANOMA

Melanoma is a cancer that develops in melanocytes, the pigment cells present in the skin. It can be more serious than the other forms of skin cancer because it may spread to other parts of the body (metastasize) and cause serious illness and death. About 50,000 new cases of melanoma are diagnosed in the United States every year.

Because most melanomas occur on the skin where they can be seen, patients themselves are often the first to detect many melanomas. Early detection and diagnosis are crucial. Caught early, most melanomas can be cured with relatively minor surgery.

Don’t wait!

Melanoma is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the skin cells called melanocytes (cells that color the skin).Melanocytes are found throughout the lower part of the epidermis. They make melanin, the pigment that gives skin its natural color. When skin is exposed to the sun, melanocytes make more pigment, causing the skin to tan, or darken.

                                                                               

Malignant Melanoma

Stages of Melanoma Stage Description Stage 1

(in situ) Melanoma is confined to the epidermis (top layer of skin). Stage I Melanoma is confined to the skin, but has grown thicker. It can be as thick as 1.0 millimeter. In stage IA, the skin covering the melanoma remains intact. In stage IB, the skin covering the melanoma has broken open (ulcerated).

Stage II Melanoma has grown thicker. The thickness ranges from 1.01 millimeters to greater than 4.0 millimeters. The skin covering the melanoma may have broken open (ulcerated). While thick, the cancer has not spread.

Stage III Melanoma has spread to either: 1) one or more nearby lymph node (often called lymph gland) or 2) nearby skin.

Stage IV Melanoma has spread to an internal organ, lymph nodes further from the original melanoma, or is found on the skin far from the orignal melanoma.

Signs? Symptoms?? The most common early signs (what you see) of melanoma are:

Growing mole on your skin. Unusual looking mole on your skin or a mole that does not look like any

other mole on your skin (the ugly duckling). Non-uniform mole (has an odd shape, uneven or uncertain border,

different colors).

Symptoms of melanoma

In the early stages, melanoma may not cause any symptoms (what you feel). But sometimes melanoma will:

Itch Bleed Feel painful

Many melanomas have these signs and symptoms, but not all. There are actually different types of melanoma. One type can first appear as a brown or black streak underneath a fingernail or toenail. Melanoma also can look like a bruise that just won’t heal.

If this sounds like you, get checked out ASAP!

ABCD’s of Melanoma

Causes?!

What causes melanoma? Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a major

contributor in most cases. We get UV radiation from the sun, tanning beds, and sun lamps. Heredity also plays a role. Research shows that if a close blood relative (parent, child, sibling, aunt, uncle) had melanoma, a person has a much greater risk of getting melanoma.

But ..wait!

A cure for melanoma isn’t just one easy step.

If you tan, stop. Tanning outdoors, using tanning beds, and sitting under sun lamps are not safe.  Research shows indoor tanning increases a person's melanoma risk by 75%.

And forget about getting a base tan before going on a tropical vacation. A base tan will not protect you. It just increases your risk for getting skin cancer.

A tan is not a sign of good health. It is a sign that you have damaged your skin.

Finding melanoma

Finding melanoma early is important. When melanoma is found early and treated, it is almost 100% curable. This is true even if you have had melanoma. If melanoma spreads, it can be deadly.

Here is what you can do to find melanoma early: Check your skin for signs of skin cancer. To help people find melanoma early, the American Academy of

Dermatology created the body mole map, which:

Illustrates how to examine your skin. Shows you what to look for (ABCDEs of melanoma). Gives you a place to write down where your moles appear on your body.

When examining your skin, be sure to check your scalp, feet, nails, and genital area. Melanoma can appear on parts of the body that people do not think to check. And check your scalp, palms, soles, fingernails, and toenails. Melanoma can appear under a nail. Beneath a nail, the most common early warning sign of melanoma  is a brown to black-colored nail streak.

Another early warning sign is a spot that looks like a bruise. The bruise may fade and then come back. Make an appointment to see a dermatologist. If you find a mole or growth on your skin that is growing,

unusual, bleeding or not like the rest, you should see a dermatologist.

Get a free skin cancer screening. The American Academy of Dermatology offers free skin cancer screenings throughout the United States. Most free screenings happen in the spring.

If you do not find a screening in your area, you can sign up to receive an email that lets you know when the next free screening will take place in your area.

Prevention!

Primary prevention consists of limiting exposure to sunlight and using sunscreens. Light-skinned persons should be informed of the importance of limiting sun exposure and avoiding sunburns; this advice is particularly important for children and teenagers.

How Do Dermatologists Treat Melanoma?

The type of treatment a patient receives depends on the following:

How deeply the melanoma has grown into the skin Whether the melanoma has spread to other parts of the body The patient’s health The following describes treatment used for melanoma.

Surgery: When treating melanoma, doctors want to remove all of the cancer. When the cancer has not spread, it is often possible for a dermatologist to remove the melanoma during an office visit. The patient often remains awake during the surgical procedures described below. These procedures are used to remove skin cancer:

Excision: To perform this, the dermatologist numbs the skin. Then, the dermatologist surgically cuts out the melanoma and some of the normal-looking skin around the melanoma. This normal-looking skin is called a margin. There are different types of excision. Most of the time, this can be performed in a dermatologist’s office.

Mohs surgery: A dermatologist who has completed additional medical training in Mohs surgery performs this procedure. Once a dermatologist completes this training, the dermatologist is called a Mohs surgeon.

Mohs surgery begins with the Mohs surgeon removing the visible part of the melanoma. Next, the surgeon begins removing the cancer cells. Cancer cells are not visible to the naked eye, so the surgeon removes skin that may contain cancer cells one layer at a time. After removing a layer, it is prepped so that the surgeon can examine it under a microscope and look for cancer cells. This layer-by-layer approach continues until the surgeon no longer finds cancer cells. In most cases, Mohs surgery can be completed within a day or less. Mohs has a high cure rate.

When caught early, removing the melanoma by excision or Mohs may be all the treatment a patient needs. In its earliest stage, melanoma grows in the epidermis (outer layer of skin). Your dermatologist may refer to this as melanoma in situ or stage 0. In this stage, the cure rate with surgical removal is nearly 100%.

Worst Case Scenario!

Allowed to grow, melanoma can spread to other parts of the body. Melanoma can spread quickly. When melanoma spreads, it can be deadly!

Funerific Facts Anyone can get melanoma.

Most people have light skin, but people who have brown and black skin also get melanoma.

Some people have a higher risk of getting melanoma. These people have the following traits:

Skin Fair skin (The risk is higher if the person also has red or blond hair and blue or green

eyes.) Sun-sensitive skin (rarely tans or burns easily) 50-plus moles, large moles, or unusual-looking moles If you have had bad sunburns or spent time tanning (sun, tanning beds, or sun lamps), you

also have a higher risk of getting melanoma.

Family/medical history Melanoma runs in the family (parent, child, sibling, cousin, aunt, uncle had melanoma) You had another skin cancer, but most especially another melanoma. A weakened immune system

More Fun Facts!

The important role of sun exposure in childhood was found in an immigration study from Australia, where rates of melanoma are the highest in the world. In this study,6 children who immigrated to Australia before the age of 10 had a risk similar to native-born Australians. Immigrants who arrived after the age of 15 had one fourth the rate of melanoma of native-born residents.

Sources!

http://www.aafp.org/afp/20001115/2277.htm

http://www.avvo.com/health-guides/malignant-melanoma-prevention-early-detection-and-effective-treatment

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2532967/

Produced by Faythe Grinstead, 4th Hr.