Melanoma is a type of skin cancer caused by damage to the DNA of melanocyte cells, which are found in the outer layer of your skin. Melanoma occurs when damaged melanocytes begin to reproduce uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors.
Melanoma can be cured if it is diagnosed and treated in its earliest stages, before the disease has spread. If melanoma is not addressed quickly, however, it may spread to other areas of the body, including vital organ systems.
When melanoma spreads (a condition called invasive melanoma) it may become difficult or impossible to cure. In these cases, melanoma can be fatal.
Melanoma rates in the United States doubled from 1982 to 2011.
What are Melanocytes?
Your skin is made up of several different types of cells, each serving a specific function.
One type of skin cell, called a melanocyte, is responsible for producing melanin, which is the pigment that creates your skin, eye, and hair color. This process is called melanogenesis. Melanocytes are also responsible for the formation of moles on your skin.
Melanocytes are found in the deepest part of the top layer of skin, called the basal layer. They account for about 5 to 10% of the cells in the basal layer.
Signs and Symptoms of Melanoma
The earliest signs of skin cancer involve a change in your skin. This may mean that a new lump or sore has formed, that a new mole has popped up, or that an existing mole has begun to grow or change in shape.
In general, any unusual moles, sores, lumps, blemishes, markings, or changes in the way an area of the skin looks or feels may be a sign that you have melanoma, or a warning that it might occur.
Melanoma is a curable disease when caught early. While not all melanomas show symptoms before spreading, the vast majority of cases begin with an abnormal mole or growth on your skin. If detected during this stage, the cure rate is very high.
The annual incidence rate of melanoma in non-Hispanic Caucasians is 25 per 100,000, compared to 4 per 100,000 in Hispanics and 1 per 100,000 in African-Americans.
Diagnosis of Melanoma
By performing frequent self-exams, as well as going regularly to visit the dermatologist, you can protect yourself from the dangers of melanoma.
There are two steps in the process of identifying melanoma:
- Skin exam. During a skin exam, a dermatologist or nurse looks over your skin to identify any unusual marks, lumps, rough patches, moles, freckles, birthmarks, or any pigmented area with an unusual color, size, shape, or texture.
- Biopsy. If an area of your skin is identified as abnormal, and your dermatologist wants to do further analysis, a biopsy may be performed. A biopsy is a minor medical procedure in which an abnormal area of skin is removed with a scalpel and examined under a microscope by a pathologist.
Causes and Risk Factors
Scientists believe that melanoma is primarily caused by two environmental factors: 1) Long-term exposure to UV rays and 2) incidences of brief, intense exposure resulting in severe, blistering sunburns. Both sunlight and UV rays from tanning beds may cause skin damage leading to melanoma. However, as with all cancers, melanoma is likely the result of both environmental and genetic factors.
The following characteristics may put you at greater risk of developing melanoma:
- History of severe, blistering sunburn
- Fair skin (People with less melanin in their skin, those with light-colored eyes and blonde or red hair, and those with freckles, have less built-in protection from UV radiation and are at greater risk of developing melanoma.)
- Frequent sunburns in early childhood
- Family history of skin cancer, especially melanoma
- Having a large number of moles (more than 50) or having atypical moles
- Weakened immune system, caused by medical conditions such as HIV/AIDS, or medical treatments such as chemotherapy
Invasive melanoma is projected to be the fifth most common cancer for men (46,870 cases) and the seventh most common cancer for women (29,510 cases) in 2016.
Melanoma Treatment
Great strides have been made in recent months in the treatment of melanoma, particularly in cases where the disease is in advanced stages and tumors have spread to vital organ systems. Many new drugs have been developed that specifically target and destroy melanoma cells while leaving normal cells unharmed.
In addition to these advancements, there are five standard techniques used to treat melanoma.
Invasive melanoma is projected to be the fifth most common cancer for men (46,870 cases) and the seventh most common cancer for women (29,510 cases) in 2016.
Share This Page
