Melanoma: Types, Signs and Treatments

Melanoma makes up only one percent of all skin cancers, but it’s the most aggressive of the three types, resulting in the most fatalities. 2021 will see 106,110 new cases of melanoma and just over 7,100 deaths.

Early diagnosis and treatment can prevent melanoma from spreading to other parts of the body and becoming more severe. Search online and read on to learn what you can do to lower your risk of getting this disease and what to expect if you are diagnosed.

What Is Melanoma?

Melanoma skin cancer can begin anywhere on the body, though it’s more common on areas that are frequently exposed to ultraviolet radiation from sunlight. It occurs when a specific type of skin cell, called melanocytes, multiply rapidly. Melanocytes are the cells that create brown pigment in our skin color.

Cancer is named based on where it starts. So, if an aggressive melanoma skin cancer spreads to another organ in the body, it is still called melanoma.

There are four main types of melanoma:

1. Superficial spreading melanoma is the one we most commonly hear about. It accounts for about 70 percent of cases and primarily spreads on the top layer of the skin, though it sometimes invades deeper layers via vertical growth.
2. Nodular melanoma can multiply quickly. It appears as a raised growth on the skin, often in a “stalk” or “mushroom” shape. It accounts for somewhere between 15 and 20 percent of cases.
3. Lentigo maligna melanoma develops on the face, scalp or neck and makes up 10 to 15 percent of all cases. It’s most common on severely sun-damaged skin, particularly those of older people. It large, flat patch that darkens as it grows.
4. Acral lentiginous melanoma is more common in those of Asian, Hispanic and African descent. It’s a rare type of melanoma, accounting for less than five percent of all diagnoses. It does not have to do with UV exposure and tends to appear on the feet or hands.

Causes and Risk Factors

Like many types of cancer, the exact cause isn’t known. However, melanoma rates increase as exposure to ultraviolet light from the sun or tanning bed increases. This is one of the primary risk factors currently known.

Other risk factors for this disease include:

• Having moles, either a lot of them or atypical ones
• Fair skin, freckles, and light hair, with blue or green eyes
• Family history of melanoma
• Having a weakened or compromised immune system
• A history of severe sunburns
• Xeroderma pigmentosum – a rare inherited skin disorder where skin is highly susceptible to the sun’s rays
• Age, as melanoma is more common in older populations
• Gender – under the age of 50, more women contract melanoma. Over 50, it’s more prevalent in men.

Many risk factors are known, but what is unclear is how they create melanoma cancer cells. We know that DNA mutations can cause genes to change, which results in cells growing out of control and becoming cancerous. However, much is still unknown about why the disease develops.

Having risk factors does not mean that you will get melanoma. But knowing what they are can help you detect it and diagnose it sooner.

Early Signs and Symptoms

The most common early signs and symptoms are:

• New spots or spots on the skin whose size, color or shape is changing
• A mole where one half looks different than the other half
• A mole that looks different from any other spots on your skin

The ABCDEs of melanoma are used to detect melanoma early on. They stand for:

• Asymmetry – sides are different from one another
• Border – scalloped, irregular or poorly defined border
• Color – varying colors in the spot
• Diameter – melanomas are normally larger than six millimetres
• Evolving – the mole is changing

Treatment Options

Treatment is dependent on the stage of the cancer, type and a person’s overall health. Surgery to remove the melanoma is the most common method in the early stages of the disease. The growth will be removed along with healthy tissue surrounding the area to ensure good margins.

If the cancer has spread beyond the skin, common options include:

• Surgery to remove the affected lymph nodes, if the cancer has spread
• Chemotherapy, generally used for advanced stages of melanoma
• Immunotherapy medications that trigger the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells
• Targeted therapy, which attacks the part of the melanoma cells that are different from normal cells
• Radiation, which uses high-energy rays to destroy the cancer cells

Get More Information

Although melanoma is the most common and dangerous type of skin cancer, advancements in treatment improve the outcomes for many Americans. However, warning signs and symptoms shouldn’t be ignored. Search online to learn more about prevention and how to monitor any moles you already have. If you are concerned or suspect that you may have melanoma, contact your doctor right away.