Its All About Melanoma

Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that occurs from the proliferation of the melanocytes in the skin. The function of melanocytes is to make melanin which is a brown pigment that protects the inner layers of the skin from the sun. Majority of the tumors are brown or black, but some can appear to be tan or white in color. Melanoma can develop on any part of the skin, but some of the most common places are the back, chest, legs, face, and neck. While this cancer is much less common than other skin cancers, it is more dangerous and can spread more easily if not caught early.

There are several risk factors that can predispose someone to developing melanoma. One of the biggest risk factors is exposure to ultraviolet rays including the sun, tanning beds, and sun lamps. UV rays damage the DNA inside the skin cells which starts the initiation of the proliferation cascade. Some other risk factors include having many moles, dysplastic nevi, fair skin, freckles, family history of melanoma, weakened immune system and age. The risk of melanoma is much higher for Caucasians than for African Americans. Since one of the biggest risk factors of melanoma is preventable, it’s important to take the proper precautions against UV rays. This includes seeking shade, wearing and reapplying sunscreen, wearing a hat, and avoiding the use of tanning beds.

When looking out for a melanoma, it’s important to look for warning signs regarding a new spot on the skin that’s evolving. Clinically, the ABCDE rule is used when evaluating a new mole. This can guide the patient about asymmetry, borders that are ragged or irregular, color, diameter that is more than 6 millimeters, and any change in size/shape/color. Some other warning signs are redness or swelling beyond the border, increased itchiness, or pain, and change in the surface of the mole.

If there is a suspicion of melanoma, the first thing that should be done is a biopsy which is looking at the cancer cells under a microscope. If there is any evidence of a melanoma, it is grouped in stages based on the thickness of the tumor, spread to lymph nodes, and metastasis. Some tests that are usually used to diagnose melanomas are blood work, sentinel lymph node biopsy, CT scan, MRI, and PET scan. The treatment for melanoma is often surgery to cut out the cancer and the normal skin surrounding it. Some other treatments include immunotherapy, radiation, targeted cancer therapy, and lymphadenectomy. When skin cancer is found early on and treated with the appropriate measures, the chances of recovery are very high.

References:

American Cancer Society. (2022). Melanoma skin cancer: Understanding melanoma. American Cancer Society. Retrieved November 14, 2022, from https://www.cancer.org/cancer/melanoma-skin-cancer.html

Cleveland Clinic. (2022). Melanoma: Symptoms, stages, diagnosis, treatment & prevention. Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved November 14, 2022, from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/14391-melanoma