Malignant melanoma is a cancer which usually starts in the skin. It is one of the rarer types of skin cancer but causes the majority of skin cancer related deaths. It causes the greatest number of skin cancer–related deaths worldwide. Early detection of thin cutaneous melanoma is the best means of reducing mortality. Melanomas are divided into 4 main types. Superficial spreading melanoma is the most common type of melanoma. About 7 out of 10 (70%) are this type. Melanoma can also start in the mucous membranes of the mouth, in the eye or other places in the body where melanocytes are found. Nodular melanoma occurs most often on the chest or back. It is most commonly found in middle-aged people.
Lentigo maligna melanoma is most commonly found on the face, particularly in older people. It grows slowly and may take several years to develop. The primary symptom of any skin cancer is usually a mole, sore, lump, or growth on the skin. Melanomas are most common on areas exposed to the sun. Certain types of melanoma have worse prognoses but this is explained by their thickness. Local recurrences tend to behave similarly to a primary unless they are at the site of a wide local excision since these recurrences tend to indicate lymphatic invasion. Various chemotherapy agents are used. Radiation therapy is often used after surgical resection for patients with locally
Surgery - remove the melanoma and a ring of tissue around it. Chemotherapy - to kill cancer cells that have spread throughout the body.Radiation therapy - to kill cancer cells that may have spread beyond the tumor. Applying a sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher, every day. Wearing protective clothing, including hats and sunglasses. DTIC therapy is associated with a response rate of 15 to 25%, with only 5% of patients achieving a complete response. Only interferon alpha-2b has been shown to be effective in the adjuvant setting. Radioimmunotherapy of metastatic melanoma is currently under investigation. Randomized prospective studies show that 2-cm margins are appropriate for tumors of intermediate thickness.
Malignant Melanoma - Prevention and Treatment Tips
1. Applying a sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher, every day.
2. Wearing protective clothing, including hats and sunglasses.
3. Surgery remove the melanoma and a ring of tissue around it.
4. Chemotherapy to kill cancer cells that have spread throughout the body.
5. Radiation therapy - to kill cancer cells that may have spread beyond the tumor.
6. Laser treatment may be used to treat melanoma which has come back in the skin.
7. Avoid prolonged exposure to the sun and be aware of the intensity of the sun.
8. Ultraviolet radiation from sunbeds has a similarly damaging effect to intense sunlight.
Melanoma is known to be a fatal sort of skin cancer in which the affected person's skin does not grow as expected. The extra abnormally grown cells might lead to a tumor or mass of skin. A skin tumor is not malignant or cancerous if it does not harm the organs and tissues close to the skin layers. Melanoma is primarily caused due to exposure to the harmful UV rays of the sun. This UV radiation hurt our DNA, and hence melanoma can be a genetic disorder too. DNA is the genetic material in our body, so once a person is suffering from melanoma he is likely to pass it on to the next generations too.
The first and foremost way to stay away from melanoma is to check if there are any of your ancestors who had melanoma. If you do have family history, regular skin check-up along with the preventive measures mentioned below must be undertaken to avoid the life-threatening disease. The fact that some of your relative was a patient of melanoma implies that you might have the damaged gene too. So it is better to be careful about such things.
For preventing melanoma, we must ensure that we limit our sun exposure to the minimum. Because a human being receives approximately eighty percent of his total life's sun exposure till the age of 18, this must be started quite early in childhood. Those people who need to regularly work outdoors such as workers or others who spend lot of time in outdoor activities under the sun have greater sun exposure than those indoors. But people staying indoors should take care and not venture out continuously in the sun for long periods while on a vacation to avoid the risk of melanoma. This applies to people who wish to take a sun bath or get their skin tanned on a beach, as it may prove harmful for them.
Though it is easier said than done, we cannot totally block out sun exposure from our routine. Try to keep your child away from getting sunburn as it can be a contributing factor for melanoma. Direct and reflected sunlight should be avoided too. When you are going out in the sun, cover the exposed parts of your body to reduce the effect of UV rays of the sun. Lastly, another tip is to wear a good sunscreen and then step out of the house.
Both Juliet Cohen & Jake Bradley are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Juliet Cohen has sinced written about articles on various topics from Skin Cream, Alternative Medicine and Abdominal. Juliet Cohen writes health articles for and . She. Juliet Cohen's top article generates over 3350000 views. to your Favourites.
Jake Bradley has sinced written about articles on various topics from Medicine. Do you need to go out in the sun often? It would be interesting to note that excessive exposure to the sun can cause a type of skin cancer called