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You might have heard of this condition before. If you have melanoma, it means you have a cancerous disorder of your skin. This cancer arises in your skin because of the malignant condition of your melanocyte. Melanocyte of your skin is responsible for the production of your melanin. Don’t take it lightly because it is a serious condition that can be deadly if handled carelessly. All forms of cancer can in one way or the other become deadly.

Where Can Melanoma Occur?

 

Melanoma can also occur in some of the other pigment-containing areas of your body. These areas include your digestive system, tissues around your brain or around your spinal cord. It can also occur in your eyes. Melanoma can spread to any part of your body. It is a characteristic of cancerous cells. Fifty thousand people in the United States are confirmed as having melanoma every year. Various types of melanoma exist and they include superficial spreading melanoma, nodular melanoma, lentigo maligna melanoma, and acral lentiguous melanoma.

 

Superficial spreading melanoma: It is the commonest type of melanoma. This type of melanoma grows radially and will spread across your skin surface. It can also grow vertically into your skin. The color of the melanoma area that you will have will be different from the ones other people will have. The various colors you can have includes : white, brown, blue, red, black, or grey. If you are a dark-colored skin person some of these colors may not be well visible on your skin. Most time this melanoma can develop on your trunk, arms, and legs.

 

Nodular melanoma: It is invasive and has vertical growth. You will see it as something that looks like a lump. In Australia and New Zealand 15 out of 100 people of the total population of the people who have melanoma are having the nodular form of melanoma. There are phototypes 1 to 6 of nodular melanoma and you can have any of this phototype. If you are light-skinned you are prone to having phototype 1 and 2. If you are a person who tans easily you are more prone to phototype 3. If you have a brown or black skin you are more prone to having phototype 4, 5 and 6. Nodular melanoma is more prevalent in men than in women. The usual period of diagnosis is age group greater than fifty years. If you have it, you will most of the time have it on your face, chest or back. It can also be on your body areas that are not usually exposed to the sun.

 

Acral lentiguous melanoma: If you have it, it is the sole of your feet that it affects. It can also affect the palms of your hand. Underneath of your nails are not spared too they can be affected. It does not mean that the only type of cancer that can affect your foot are the acral lentiguous melanoma. Other forms of cancer can also affect your foot. Whether you are a Caucasian or a black, it can affect you as it does not have racial predilection. Acral lentiguous can follow injury to your hand or foot. Albeit it does not mean that you will have it if you have an injury. Also, you can have it without injury to your hand or feet.

 

          New Melanoma Treatment

 

As there is management mode for other types of cancer there is management mode for melanoma too, and it is best if melanoma is diagnosed early.

Before discussing the mode of management of melanoma, you need to know that there are various stages of melanoma. Your treatment depends on your stage. The stages are 0 through 4, each depending on how deep it has affected the skin, presence or absence of its spread to the lymph node, and if it has invaded other parts of the body.

  • If you have been diagnosed with having melanoma, there are numerous treatment options. Your best bet is have surgery. How deep and how thick your melanoma is will be determined. There are different stages of cancer (and melanoma is not left out in having stages too).
  • If your stage is stage 0, which means that your cancer cells are still at the level of your epidermis wide surgical excision will be done for you. Areas surrounding your cancer zone will also be cut away.  I
  • If your cancer is stage 1 you will need treatment same as above. Biopsy of the lymph nodes that your cancer has the tendency of spreading to can also be done.
  • If your cancer is stage 2 you can also be treated as above it is only that the amount of your normal skin that will be removed will depend on how thick your melanoma is and also the site of your melanoma.
  • If you have stage 3, you will be treated like above but the lymph nodes that the cancerous cells have spread to will be removed.
  • In stage 4 skin cancer your cancer has spread to other organs and structures in your body, so apart from the treatment like that of stage 3, some of the organs and structures to which the cancerous cells have spread may need to be removed.

 

 Is Melanoma Survivable?

 

The best you can do for yourself is to go for treatment if you have melanoma. The more the stage increases, the worse the cancer is and the shorter your chance of living for long. Your 5-year survival rate for stage 1A melanoma is around 97%. Your 10-year survival rate is around 95%.

 

        How Can Melanoma be Prevented?

 

  • Try to stay in the shade most especially between 10 am and 4 pm
  • Avoid sunbathing
  • Examine your skin head to toe every month most especially if you have a first degree relative with melanoma
  • Don’t  expose your newborn(s) to much direct sun exposure.

Melanoma is a dangerous skin condition that you must not handle lightly. If you see any abnormality on your skin, such as a change in coloration in your skin, you may need to visit a dermatologist (Physicians that are involved in the study and management of diseases affecting the skin).

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References

 

  1. Cutaneous melanoma. Melanoma Res. 2009;19(6):395. doi:10.1097/cmr.0b013e3283319d9b.

 

  1. Melanoma – Symptoms and causes. Mayo Clinic. 2018. Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/melanoma/symptoms-causes/syc-20374884. Accessed June 23, 2018.

 

  1. Melanoma Research. Melanoma Res. 1992;1(5):407. doi:10.1097/00008390-199201000-00013.