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Melanoma

Melanoma

Alternative Names

Skin cancer, Melanoma

What is Melanoma

Melanoma is a kind of skin cancer which appears less commonly than others but has the most serious consequences. It may cause serious illness or death. Melanoma develops in melanocytes, the pigment cells of the skin. The first sign of melanoma usually is a change in the size, shape, color or feel of a mole. It may also emerge as a new mole. It may impact only on your skin of spread to bones and other organs.

Signs and symptoms

Not like a normal mole or mark, melanoma can:

change color, size or the shape of its border
be lumpy or rounded
become crusty, ooze or bleed

Possible complications

Melanoma can lead to serious illness and death, but it depends on a certain situation. The statistics cannot show what will happen to you. The estimated 5-year survival rate for melanoma is:

98% if cancer is found early and treated before it has spread
if the cancer has spread to close-by tissue
if the cancer has spread farther away, such as to the liver, brain, or bones

What causes

Spending too much time on the sun makes normal skin cells abnormal. They begin to grow uncontrollably and attack the tissues around them. Melanoma can appear in people with abnormal or atypical moles. You should take into account the fact that melanoma runs in families and if you have it in your family it is recommended to consult the doctor more often.

Prevention

It is necessary to protect your skin when you are on sun and avoid exposure to the ultraviolet (UV) rays.

try not to stay out of the sun during the middle of the day (from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
wear protective clothes when you are outside such as a hat that shades your face, a long-sleeved shirt and long pants
use sunscreen with at least SPF 15 every day
avoid sunbathing and tanning salons
check your skin every month for odd marks, moles or sores that will not healv
pay extra attention to areas that get a lot of sun such as your hands, arms and back
check your skin during regular physical exams or at least once a year

Treatment

The standard therapy used for treating melanoma is surgery. You should start to remove your melanoma at the early stage. It is important to discuss regular with your doctor checkups that you will have to do after surgery. It is also recommended to discuss how you can decrease your chances of having another melanoma.

If your condition is worse and your melanoma has spread to your lymph nodes, your will need to take a medicine called interferon or attend in a clinical trial. In some cases it is recommended to use complementary therapies together with medical treatment to help reduce negative side effects of cancer treatments. It may be: