Signs of Melanoma

Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer and one of the most common cancers. Though older adults are more likely to develop melanoma, all age groups are susceptible; it is one of the most common cancers young adults develop.
Every year, over 50,000 people are diagnosed with melanoma; however, with proper prevention, and early diagnoses and treatment the possibility for recovery is good. One of the most important proactive ways you can avoid melanoma is to be aware of the symptoms, watch for the signs in yourself and your loved ones and visit your doctor if you have any concerns.

Cause

• When an individual spends time in the sun, his skin is exposed to ultraviolet rays. These rays can cause the cells that result in tanned skin to grow abnormally and possibly become cancerous. Melanoma is when these cells become cancerous.
  Sun exposure isn't the only way a person can develop melanoma--any exposure to ultraviolet rays can result in this disease. For example, individuals have developed melanoma from tanning bed use.

Risk Factors for Developing Melanoma

• Though anyone can develop melanoma, there are some specific risk factors that have been identified. These include:
  - Fair skin
  - Light eyes
  - Many freckles
  - Severe, blistering sunburns as a child or adult
  - Family history
  - Having had melanoma in the past
  - Non-cancerous, unusual looking moles
  - More than fifty moles on the skin
  - A weakened immune system
  - Exposure to UV rays through tanning beds

Symptoms of Melanoma

• A change in the size, shape, color or feel of an existing mole is often the first sign of melanoma, though melanoma can appear as a new mole.
  More specifically, a mole that has the following characteristics may be melanoma:
  -Asymmetrical, where one side does not match the other
  -Has an unusual border, where the edges are ragged, notched, blurred or otherwise irregular
  -Has uneven color that may present itself as black, brown, tan or even white, gray, red, pink or blue, or
  - Changes in diameter, most often increases in size, even to the point of being larger than 1/4-inch in diameter

  When an individual is concerned that a mole he has, or a mole a loved one has, presents any of the above characteristics, it is essential that he consult with a doctor to determine if the mole is cancerous.

Diagnosis and Treatment

• If a doctor is concerned that a patient has melanoma, she will order a biopsy be taken of the mole. Usually, the entire mole will be removed and analyzed. If the mole is found to be benign, the patient will be released. If the mole is found to be cancerous, the patient will be examined further.
  The doctor will need to examine the patient to determine how large the tumor is. It may be that only the mole was cancerous, or it may be that the tumor has spread to lymph nodes or to other portions of the patient's body. The size of the tumor, the patient's age, general health and other factors will determine what treatment options are necessary.
  The patient may need to have surgery, chemotherapy or radiation treatment. The treatment will be specific to the patient's needs.

Prevention

• Ideally, individuals will take care of their skin so that melanoma is never developed. Such proactive measures as avoiding the midday sun; seeking shade when possible; wearing clothing that will cover the skin as much as possible, e.g., long-sleeved shirts, pants and a hat; using sunscreen that has an SPF of at least 30 and wearing sunglasses that have UV-absorbing lenses can be instrumental in avoiding melanoma and other skin cancers.
  It is also important that individuals meet with their doctors on a regular basis; checking for unusual moles is part of a regular checkup.