Malignant Melanoma Treatments

Malignant melanoma is a disease that causes cancer cells to form in the skin cells responsible for the coloring of the skin. It affects men and women alike, and people of all races and ages. It can occur anywhere on the body, and if detected early, it is much easier to treat. However, the form of treatment depends on how advanced the cancer is and whether or not it has spread to other areas of the body.

Surgery

• Surgery is the most common treatment for any stage of melanoma, however different operations are used to remove the cancer, depending on the stage of the cancer. The first is a local excision, a procedure in which the doctor removes the melanoma and a portion of the healthy tissue surrounding it. The next is a wide local excision, which not only takes out the melanoma and the healthy tissue but also some of the lymph nodes. In a lymphadenectomy, the lymph nodes are removed completely and then examined for cancer cells. In some situations, the doctor may perform a skin graft to cover the area the melanoma was removed from. Even after surgery, some patients may require another form of treatment to ensure that all remaining cancer cells have been eliminated.

Chemotherapy

• During chemotherapy, anticancer drugs are used to either kill cancer cells or prevent them from dividing. If injected or taken by mouth, the drugs move systemically through the body by entering the bloodstream and traveling to the cancer cells. A technique called hyperthermic isolated limbs perfusion is also used to treat melanoma . During this procedure, a tourniquet is used to cut the flow of blood off from the affected limb for a short time. A warm solution that contains an anticancer drug is injected directly into the limb. This allows the patient to receive a strong dose of medication directly where the cancer exists.

Radiation Therapy

• Radiation therapy uses either high energy x-rays or various types of radiation to prevent cancer cells from growing or to eradicate them. Two types of radiation therapy are used: the first is external radiation, which incorporates the use of a machine outside the body, centering the radiation toward the cancer. The second is internal radiation, which uses a radioactive substance in the form of seeds, sealed needles, catheters or wires that are placed directly into or near the cancer.

Biologic Therapy

• Also known as biotherapy or immunotherapy, this treatment uses the patient's immune system to fight the cancer. The substance used is either made naturally by the body or synthetically in a laboratory and is then used to boost or restore the body's natural defenses against cancer.

Considerations

• The best way to avoid having to receive treatment for malignant melanoma is to take the necessary precautions against getting it. Avoid UV rays as much as possible, whether that is the natural light from the sun or the lights from tanning beds. If you are in the sun, protect your skin with the use of a skin block. If you happen to notice any changes in moles or notice changes in your skin, see your doctor right away. Malignant melanoma is serious, and it can spread beneath the skin and to other organs if left untreated.