Malignant Melanoma

What Is Melanoma?

Melanoma, a type of skin cancer, means “black tumor” and is the most dangerous form of skin cancer.  It grows quickly and can spread throughout the body to any organ. Melanoma comes from melanocytes, which are skin cells located in the deep layer of the skin and produce melanin or the dark pigment that provides the skin with color. Melanin also helps protect the body from the sun’s ultraviolet light (UV radiation). While most melanomas are brown or black, they may also be pink, red, purple, or skin-colored. Only 20–30% of melanomas are found within existing moles on the skin, while 70–80% of melanomas arise on skin that appears normal, making it particularly important for each individual to become familiar with their skin and pay close attention to changes in the skin.

The number of moles a person has, however, might help predict their skin’s risk for developing melanoma skin cancer. Identifying if you are in a high-risk group for developing skin cancer can be critical to successful treatment. The rapid growth rate of melanomas means a delay in treatment can be the difference between life and death. Understanding your risk can help you maintain a high degree of vigilance, keep an eye out for changes in your skin, and seek regular skin examinations.

Melanoma can have a 99% cure rate if caught in its earliest stages. Early detection of melanomas is critical, as treatment success is related directly to the depth and spread of the cancerous growth.

How Common Is Melanoma?

Melanoma accounts for a small proportion of total skin cancer diagnoses, yet it causes the vast majority of skin cancer-related deaths. Malignant melanoma is among the most prevalent cancers in people under 30, particularly in young women. Over the past three decades, melanoma incidence has dramatically increased, putting more of the worldwide population at risk for developing life-threatening skin cancers.The increasing levels of UV exposure are among the leading causes of this fast rise in the number of melanoma cases.

How Serious Is Malignant Melanoma?

Fortunately, melanoma is usually curable when detected early and treated promptly. Once melanoma spreads deeper into the skin or to other parts of the body, it becomes significantly more challenging to treat and can be fatal. The Skin Cancer Foundation estimates that a 5-year survival rate for U.S. patients whose melanoma is detected early is approximately 99%, while an estimated 7,650 people will die from skin-cancer-related deaths in the U.S. in 2022.

Types Of Melanoma

The four main types of melanoma skin cancer are superficial spreading melanoma, lentigo maligna, acral lentiginous melanoma, and nodular melanoma. Please contact us for more information about melanoma, prevention information, and treatment options.

Malignant Melanoma Symptoms

You can develop melanomas anywhere on your body. Melanoma can even form on your eyes and within your internal organs. Men typically have a higher risk of developing melanoma on their trunks, such as the upper back, while women are usually more likely to develop melanomas on their legs, among other areas of their body. Melanoma can appear as moles, scaly patches, open sores, or even raised bumps. One of the best ways to learn the warning signs and melanoma symptoms that characterize the potential presence of skin cancer is to go through the “ABCDE” memory device.

• Asymmetry. One-half of the lesion is not identical to the other half.
• Border. The edges of the lesion are jagged or not smooth.
• Color. The color is uneven or mottled with shades of brown, white, black, gray, or red.
• Diameter. The spot or lesion is greater than 6.0 mm, or the end of a pencil eraser.
• Evolving. The lesion is new to your body or changes in size, shaper, or color.

While this list of malignant melanoma characteristics can be helpful, some melanomas don’t fit this rule, so it’s important to notify your dermatologist about any unusual bumps or rashes, any changes in your skin, any existing or new moles, and any sores that won’t properly heal. Additionally, if one of your moles looks different from the others, it should be seen by a dermatologist. Schedule a skin examination with Dermatology Associates today.

What Causes Melanoma?

Among the causes of malignant melanoma, most skin experts agree that a major risk for malignant melanoma is overexposure to sunlight, specifically sunburns for young people. UV rays cause the vast majority of melanomas. Persistent, unprotected, long-term exposure to UV radiation can damage skin cell DNA, altering particular genes that affect how the cells grow and divide.

When your skin’s DNA becomes damaged, these cells reproduce and cause significant health issues. UV radiation from tanning beds also increases the risk of melanoma. Anyone can develop melanoma, though people with a personal history of melanoma; a family history of melanoma; fair skin, freckles, blond or red hair, and blue eyes; excess sun exposure, including sunburns; living near the equator or in high elevations, which can increase the risk of UV exposure; a history of use of tanning beds; many moles, especially atypical moles; and a weakened or suppressed immune system.

Melanoma is usually more common in people with white skin, but it can occur in people of all skin types and tones. Individuals with darker skin most often experience melanoma on the soles of their feet, the palms of their hands, or under their nails.

How Is Melanoma Diagnosed?

If you have a mole or another area of your skin that appears suspicious, or if a new development occurs in your skin, you should contact your dermatologist to schedule an appointment. During the appointment, your doctor may remove the lesion (skin biopsy) and look at it under a microscope to determine whether or not it contains cancer cells. Should the skin biopsy results show evidence of melanoma, the next step is to determine if the melanoma has spread to other areas of your body. This process is known as staging. Once a melanoma diagnosis is confirmed, the melanoma will be categorized into a stage based on multiple factors, including how deeply it’s spread and its appearance under the microscope.

The tumor’s thickness is the most important factor in predicting the outcome of a case. Breslow Depth is measured on the biopsied spot and is best predoctored on time. There are several stages of melanoma. Stage 0, or melanoma in situ, is when the melanoma is only in the top layer of the epidermis. Stage I occurs when there is a low-risk primary melanoma without evidence of spreading. This stage is typically curable with surgery, among other forms of treatment. Stage II features indicate a high risk of recurrence, but no evidence of spread is seen. Stage III is characterized by melanoma spreading to nearby lymph nodes or skin. Stage IV is melanoma that has spread to distant lymph nodes or skin or melanoma that has spread to the internal organs.

What Tests Are Used To Stage Melanoma?

Several tests may be used to stage a patient’s melanoma. Your dermatologist may use a sentinel lymph node biopsy, a CT scan, an MRI scan, a PET scan, and blood tests to determine the stage of your melanoma.

• Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy. This test takes a sample of and tests sentinel lymph nodes to determine if melanoma has spread in patients with melanomas deeper than 0.8 mm, those with ulceration in their skin biopsies, or other uncommon features present under the microscope.
• Computed Tomography (CT) Scan. A CT scan shows whether or not the melanoma has spread into the internal organs.
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Scan. An MRI scan looks for melanoma tumors in the brain and spinal cord.
• Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scan. A PET scan can inspect the body for melanoma in the lymph nodes and other body parts other than the original skin spot with melanoma.

Malignant Melanoma Treatment

The type of melanoma treatment you receive will depend on several factors, such as the stage of the melanoma and your general health. In most cases, melanoma surgery is used to treat this condition. Treatments for melanoma may include melanoma surgery, lymphadenectomy, metastasectomy, targeted cancer therapy, radiation, and immunotherapy. Some patients may choose to participate in a clinical trial, which is a research program conducted with patients to evaluate a drug, device, or medical treatment.