Also called malignant melanoma<\/strong><\/p> Skin cancer screening:<\/strong> If you notice a mole that differs from others or one that changes, bleeds, or itches, see a dermatologist.<\/p> Melanoma is a type of skin cancer. Anyone can get melanoma. When found early and treated, the cure rate is nearly 100%.<\/p> Allowed to grow, melanoma can spread to other parts of the body. Melanoma can spread quickly. When melanoma spreads, it can be deadly.<\/em><\/p> Dermatologists believe that the number of deaths from melanoma would be much lower if people:<\/p> Anyone can get melanoma.\u00a0It\u2019s important to take time to look at the moles on your skin because this is a good way to find melanoma early. When checking your skin, you should look for the ABCDEs of melanoma<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p> Signs of melanoma<\/strong><\/p> The most common early signs (what you see) of melanoma are:\u00a0<\/p> Symptoms of melanoma<\/strong><\/p> In the early stages, melanoma may not cause any symptoms (what you feel). But sometimes melanoma will:\u00a0<\/p> Many melanomas have these signs and symptoms, but not all. There are different types of melanoma. One type can first appear as a brown or black streak underneath a fingernail or toenail. Melanoma also can look like a bruise that just won\u2019t heal.<\/p> Who gets melanoma?<\/strong><\/p> Anyone can get melanoma. Most people who get it have light skin, but people who have brown and black skin also get melanoma.<\/p> Some people have a higher risk of getting melanoma. These people have the following traits:<\/p> Skin<\/strong><\/p> If you have had bad sunburns or spent time tanning (sun, tanning beds, or sun lamps), you also have a higher risk of getting melanoma.<\/p> Men older than 50 are at a higher risk for developing skin cancers, including melanoma. Learning how to check your skin and getting skin exams can help detect skin cancer.<\/em><\/p> Family\/medical history<\/strong><\/p> More people getting melanoma<\/strong><\/p> Fewer people are getting most types of cancer. Melanoma is different. More people are getting melanoma. Many are white men who are 50 years or older. More young people also are getting melanoma. Melanoma is now the most common cancer among people 25-29 years old. Even teenagers are getting melanoma.<\/p> What causes melanoma?<\/strong><\/p> Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a major contributor in most cases. We get UV radiation from the sun, tanning beds, and sun lamps. Heredity also plays a role. Research shows that if a close blood relative (parent, child, sibling, aunt, uncle) had melanoma, a person has a much greater risk of getting melanoma.<\/p> How do dermatologists diagnose melanoma?<\/strong><\/p> To diagnose melanoma, a dermatologist begins by looking at the patient\u2019s skin. A dermatologist will carefully examine moles and other suspicious spots. To get a better look, a dermatologist may use a device called a dermoscope. The device shines light on the skin. It magnifies the skin. This helps the dermatologist to see pigment and structures in the skin.<\/p> The dermatologist also may feel the patient\u2019s lymph nodes. Many people call these lymph glands.<\/p> If the dermatologist finds a mole or other spot that looks like melanoma, the dermatologist will remove it (or part of it). The removed skin will be sent to a lab. Your dermatologist may call this a biopsy. Melanoma cannot be diagnosed without a biopsy.<\/p> This biopsy is quick, safe, and easy for a dermatologist to perform. This type of biopsy should not cause anxiety. The discomfort and risks are minimal.<\/p> If the biopsy report says that the patient has melanoma, the report also may tell the stage of the melanoma. Stage tells the doctor how deeply the cancer has grown into the skin.<\/p> The melanoma stages are:<\/p> Sometimes the patient needs another type of biopsy. A type of surgery called a sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) may be recommended to stage the melanoma. When melanoma spreads, it often goes to the closest lymph nodes first. A SLNB tells doctors whether the melanoma has spread to nearby lymph nodes. Other tests that a patient may need include x-rays, blood work, and a CT scan.<\/p> How do dermatologists treat melanoma?<\/strong><\/p> The type of treatment a patient receives depends on the following:<\/p> The following describes treatment used for melanoma.\u00a0<\/p> Surgery:<\/strong> When treating melanoma, doctors want to remove all of the cancer. When the cancer has not spread, it is often possible for a dermatologist to remove the melanoma during an office visit. The patient often remains awake during the surgical procedures described below. These procedures are used to remove skin cancer:<\/p> When caught early, removing the melanoma by excision or Mohs may be all the treatment a patient needs. In its earliest stage, melanoma grows in the epidermis (outer layer of skin). Your dermatologist may refer to this as melanoma in situ or stage 0. In this stage, the cure rate with surgical removal is nearly 100%.\u00a0<\/p> When melanoma grows deeper into the skin or spreads, treatment becomes more complex. It may begin with one of the surgeries described above. A patient may need more treatment. Other treatments for melanoma include:<\/p> Other treatment that may be recommended includes:<\/p> Outcome<\/strong><\/p> This depends on how deeply the melanoma has grown into the skin. If the melanoma is properly treated when it is in the top layer of skin, the cure rate is nearly 100%. If the melanoma has grown deeper into the skin or spread, the patient may die.<\/p> Finding melanoma<\/strong><\/p> Finding melanoma early is important. When melanoma is found early and treated, it is almost 100% curable. This is true even if you have had melanoma. If melanoma spreads, it can be deadly.<\/p> Here is what you can do to find melanoma early:<\/p> \u00a0<\/p> \u00a0<\/p> If you have had melanoma<\/strong><\/p> You should know that you have a higher (5 times higher) risk of getting another melanoma. But, there is good news. Finding melanoma early still leads to a high cure rate. You should:<\/p> Preventing skin cancer<\/strong><\/p> The following can help everyone reduce their risk of getting skin cancer:<\/p> A tan is not a sign of good health. It is a sign that you have damaged your skin.<\/em><\/p> How to apply sunscreen<\/strong><\/p> Support groups:<\/strong><\/p> If you are living with melanoma, you may want to join a support group:<\/p> Related resources:<\/strong><\/p> \u00a0<\/p> \u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Also called malignant melanoma Skin cancer screening: If you notice a mole that differs from others or one that changes, bleeds, or itches, see a dermatologist. Melanoma is a type of skin cancer. Anyone can get melanoma. When found early and treated, the cure rate is nearly 100%. Allowed to grow, melanoma can spread to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_glsr_average":0,"_glsr_ranking":0,"_glsr_reviews":0},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/susongderm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/559"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/susongderm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/susongderm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/susongderm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/susongderm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=559"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/susongderm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/559\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":561,"href":"https:\/\/susongderm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/559\/revisions\/561"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/susongderm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=559"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/susongderm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=559"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/susongderm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=559"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Melanoma: Signs and symptoms<\/h3>
Melanoma: Who gets, causes<\/h3>
Melanoma: Diagnosis, treatment, and outcome<\/h3>
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Mohs surgery begins with the Mohs surgeon removing the visible part of the melanoma. Next, the surgeon begins removing the cancer cells. Cancer cells are not visible to the naked eye, so the surgeon removes skin that may contain cancer cells one layer at a time. After removing a layer, it is prepped so that the surgeon can examine it under a microscope and look for cancer cells. This layer-by-layer approach continues until the surgeon no longer finds cancer cells. In most cases, Mohs surgery can be completed within a day or less. Mohs has a high cure rate.<\/li><\/ul>Melanoma: Tips for finding and preventing<\/h3>
And check your scalp, palms, soles, fingernails, and toenails. Melanoma can appear under a nail. Beneath a nail, the most common early warning sign of melanoma \u00a0is a brown- to black-colored nail streak.\u00a0
Another early warning sign is a spot that looks like a bruise. The bruise may fade and then come back.
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you should see a dermatologist.
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If you do not find a screening in your area, you can sign up to receive an email that lets you know when the next free screening will take place in your area.<\/li><\/ul>
And forget about getting a base tan before going on a tropical vacation. A base tan will not protect you. It just increases your risk for getting skin cancer.<\/li><\/ul>
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