Melanoma
Melanoma is a type of skin cancer -- one of the most serious types because
advanced melanomas have the ability to spread to other parts of the body.
(Melanoma can also develop in the eye, called intraocular melanoma, or rarely
in other parts of the body where pigment cells are found. The
CIS can provide
information about the diagnosis and treatment of intraocular melanoma.)
Melanoma begins when melanocytes (pigment cells) gradually become more abnormal
and divide without control or order. These cells can invade and destroy the
normal cells around them. The abnormal cells form a growth of
malignant tissue (a cancerous
tumor) on the surface of the skin.
Melanoma can begin either in an existing mole or as a new growth on the skin.
The "Pictures of Melanoma" section shows
examples of melanoma. A doctor or nurse specialist can tell whether an
abnormal-looking mole should be closely watched or should be removed and
checked for melanoma cells. The purpose of routine skin exams is to identify
and follow abnormal moles.
The removal of the entire mole or a sample of tissue for examination under a
microscope is called a biopsy. If
possible, it is best to remove moles by an
excisional biopsy, rather
than a shave biopsy.
If the biopsy results in a diagnosis of melanoma, the patient and the doctor
should work together to make treatment decisions. In many cases, melanoma can
be cured by minimal surgery if the tumor is discovered when it is thin (before
it has grown downward from the skin surface) and before the cancer cells have
begun to spread to other places in the body. However, if melanoma is not found
early, the cancer cells can spread through the bloodstream and
lymphatic system to form
tumors in other parts of the body. Melanoma is much harder to control when it
has spread. The spread of cancer is called
metastasis.
Doctors and scientists believe that it is possible to prevent many melanomas
and to detect most others early, when the disease is more likely to be cured
with minimal surgery. In the past several decades, an increasing percentage of
melanomas have been diagnosed at very early stages, when they are quite thin
and unlikely to have spread. Learning about prevention and early detection,
while important for everyone, is especially important for people who have an
increased risk for melanoma. People who are at an increased risk include those
who have dysplastic nevi or a very large number of ordinary moles.
Risk Factors for Melanoma
Family history of melanoma
Dysplastic nevi
History of melanoma
Weakened immune system
Many ordinary moles (more than 50)
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation
Severe, blistering sunburns
Freckles
Fair skin
|
The National Cancer Institute booklet
What You Need To Know About Melanoma
has more information about
risk factors for this disease.
It is important to remember that not everyone who has dysplastic nevi or
other risk factors for melanoma gets the disease. In fact, most do not. Also,
about half the people who develop melanoma do not have dysplastic nevi, and
they may not have any other known risk factor for the disease. At this time,
no one can explain why one person gets melanoma while another does not.
Research has shown that sun exposure, especially excessive exposure that leads
to bad, blistering sunburns, is an important and avoidable risk factor.
Scientists are continuing their studies of risk factors for melanoma.
Back to Top
< Previous Section | Next Section > |