Cutaneous Melanoma skin cancer is known to be the most dangerous form of skin cancer. Melanoma begins when malignant cancer cells form in the melanocytes. These melanocytes are melanin-producing cells found in the outermost layer of the skin, the epidermis. Increased exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun or tanning beds causes DNA damage that can lead to the proliferation of such cancer cells and eventually form malignant tumors. There are approximately 10,130 deaths associated with melanoma annually. With an increase in skin cancer, specifically melanoma, it is important to understand the types, signs and symptoms, possible treatments, as well as early prevention.
Although, everyone is at risk for melanoma there are certain factors that increase one’s risk, such as UVA and UVB exposure, number of moles present, skin type, personal and family history, as well as a weakened immune system. The most common form of UVA and UVB radiation known is the sun. However, exposure to UV rays also occurs when using tanning beds and a small amount of UV exposure when using nail polish curing lamps. Another increasing factor for melanoma is moles. People with more moles are at a greater risk for melanoma. Those who have lighter skin are also more susceptible to develop skin cancer. If an
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individual has had basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma, there’s a greater chance of recurrence. Family history also plays an important factor since one in every 10 patients diagnosed with melanoma has a family member with a history of melanoma. A family history of melanoma means there’s about a 50 percent increase of melanoma for that individual. Compromised immune systems as a result of chemotherapy or certain diseases also increase the risk. There are four types of melanomas: superficial spreading melanoma, lentigo maligna, acral lentiginous melanoma, and nodular melanoma. Superficial spreading melanoma is the most common. About 70 percent of all cases are superficial spreading melanoma. This type of melanoma begins at the top layer of the skin and will eventually penetrate deeper. The appearance is slightly raised and can vary in color. Lentigo maligna also remains close to the surface of the skin. The appearance is mildly raised and brown or dark. It is most commonly found in the elderly. As lentigo maligna progresses in stages, it is referred as lentigo maligna melanoma. Acral lentiginious melanoma begins superficially and can also penetrate over time. The appearance is usually black or brown discoloration on soles of feel or palms of the hands. It is the most common melanoma in African-Americans and Asians. Nodular melanoma is usually known to be invasive. The appearance is bumpy, and although usually black it can also be blue, gray, white, brown, tan, red or skin tone. Nodular melanoma is rare and only found in 10 to 15 percent of cases. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, “The most important factors in the new staging system are the thickness of the tumor, known as Breslow’s thickness (also called Breslow’s depth), the appearance of microscopic ulceration (meaning that the epidermis on top of a major portion of the melanoma is not intact), and mitotic rate, the speed of cell division (how fast-growing the cancer cells are).” Thickness is measured as “…the distance between the upper layer of the epidermis and the deepest point of tumor penetration.” Thickness will indicate the progression of the disease. In situ means non-invasive and it is on the epidermis, tumors less than 1.0 mm are considered thin, tumors between 1.0-4.0 mm are intermediate, and melanomas greater than 4.0 are considered thick. Clinical stages I and II are considered early melanomas. Stages III and IV are later stages. When the melanoma has advanced to stages III and IV the Breslow’s thickness system does not apply as the tumor has metastasized spread to the lymph nodes at that stage. In Stage IV, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation, “The melanoma has metastasized to lymph nodes distant from the primary tumor or to internal organs, most often the lung, followed in descending order of frequency by the liver, brain, bone, and gastrointestinal tract.” One of the first signs of melanoma is the atypical appearance of a mole.
Characteristics of an atypical mole include asymmetry, uneven border, variety of shades, large diameter, and evolving or changing moles. Benign moles are symmetrical, and if a line was drawn in the middle of the mole, both sides would match. The border of an early melanoma “…may be scalloped or notched, as well.” A change in color such as brown, tan, or black, red, white, and blue can also be an indication of melanoma. With malignant melanoma the diameter of the mole is larger than the benign. A change in size, elevation, or if bleeding, itching occurs, these can also be signs of a melanoma. Talk about ugly
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Melanoma is an extremely important issue, as 75% of skin cancer deaths in Australia are attributed to melanoma, making it the most dangerous form of skin cancer in the country (AIHW 2010). The AIHW also states that Australia has the highest occurrence of melanoma in the world, with over 12,500 Australians being diagnosed annually, and having a recorded 1500 deaths each year. The Melanoma Institute of Australia states that melanoma is the “most common cancer in young Australians aged 15-39”, and that “rates have doubled in the 20 years from 1986-2006”. The incidence of melanoma is increasing more rapidly than any other major cancer. Owing to the high incidence and mortality rates of the disease in Australia, melanoma is the most life-threatening form of skin cancer in the country, making it a very serious non-communicable disease.
Melanocytes, embryologically derived from the neural crest, are distributed in the epidermis and thus are found throughout the skin. They produce a brown pigment known as melanin and are responsible for racial variation in skin color and also the color of moles. Malignant degeneration of the melanocyte gives rise to the tumor, melanoma, of which there are four subtypes. These are: superficial spreading, nodular, lentigo maligna, and acral lentiginous melanomas, accounting for 70%, 15% to 30%, 4% to 10%, and 2% to 8% of cases, respectively. Malignant melanoma may develop anywhere on the body. In men, it is most common on the trunk. In women, it is most common on the back or legs. The subtype also may influence where the tumor develops, lentigo melanoma is more common on the face while acral lentiginous melanoma is more common on the palms of the hand, soles of the feet, or in the nail beds.
Superficial spreading melanoma spreads slowly on the top layers of the skin before it may begin to penetrate deeper layers of skin. A flat or slightly raised, discolored (tan, brown, black, red, blue or white), and asymmetrical patch of skin. are likely indicators of its presence. In this regard, superficial spreading melanoma may begin with previously benign mole. This type of melanoma is more common in young people, and it accounts for 70 percent of all melanoma diagnosis.
In today’s culture, being tan coincides with what is believed to be beautiful. As a result, it is no surprise that in the United States of America, an estimated 922,000 people are currently living with some level of melanoma. Even though the news media and doctors warn people about the risks of too much sun exposure and give information as to how to prevent contracting skin cancer, people are still disregarding this important information and going into the sun for extended periods of time unprotected.
The first sign of melanoma is often a change in the size, shape, or color of an existing mole or the appearance of a new mole. Men most commonly develop melanoma on the trunk, particularly the back, and women on the legs or arms. Melanoma develops in a manner similar to other cancer types. A cell's DNA genes, which control cell division and reproduction, become damaged. The damaged genes cause the cell to divide and grow without control or order, eventually becoming a malignant tumor.
Symptoms women often start noticing that indicate the possibility of having a cancerous tumor in the breast include a lump on the underarm or armpit, thickening of the nipple, fluid (not milk) leaking from the nipple, change in the size of the nipple or breast, changes of color, shape or texture of the nipple or the areola, and unusual pain in the breast or in the armpit (Stephan., 2010). These are the symptoms women usually start noticing before go to the doctor to ge...
Skin cancer has been overlooked for the past few decades because the medical community has been focusing more on internal cancers. But with in exponential rise in recorded cases of skin cancer, it is grabbing attention now. Skin cancer is a serious problem and society is brushing it off so people might sport a nice tan. Even though skin cancer is not the type cancer that people see everyday or have family members develop it as often as say, breast cancer or prostate cancer, that does not make it any less of an important item to keep a look out for.
Melanoma develops in areas that are more exposed to the sun. Melanoma can also occur in areas such as feet, palms of your hands and fingernail beds. This is less likely, but most often occurs in people with darker skin. (www.mayoclinic.org). One of the first signs of melanoma is a change in an existing mole or sometime of unusual growth on your skin. (www.skincancer.org) explains the ABCDE signs of a mole. A is for Asymmetry. The way to determine thi...
Skin cancer is a disease in which malignant cancer cells are found in the outer layer of the human skin. This particular cancer is one of the most common cancers among the U.S. population, affecting and spreading over more than one million people a year. “Skin cancer is categorized into two separate groups being; malignant melanomas and non-melanoma cancers.” (Adam, 2013)
Exposure to ultraviolet radiation is one of the biggest contributing factors of skin cancer. Sunlight is the main source of UV rays, however, recently tanning lamps and beds have become a popular source of these UV rays. There are three different types of UV rays: UVA rays, UVB rays, and UVC rays. UVB rays are the rays that cause most skin cancers because they have the most energy and do more damage quicker than UVA rays. UVB radiation causes skin cancer because of its damaging affect to the DNA of skin cells. However, most tanning beds give off UVA rays and these rays have recently been
Most forms of skin cancer are found on areas of the body that experience constant exposure to sunlight. The ultraviolet rays in sunlight are one main cause of skin cancer, but artificial sources of UV rays have also been proven to be a contributing factor.
Cancer is a very large issue in the world. Cancer is a sickness that can lead to many life threatening problems and can eventually lead to death. There are many different kinds of cancer that can effect a person without them even knowing it is there. One type of cancer that can be easier to detect would be skin cancer. Skin cancer can be diagnosed by seeing a doctor or dermatologist, if they see an abnormal mole or spot on your skin, they many ask to remove the spot and test it in their laboratory. If the spot or mole comes back positive for skin cancer, they next will run more tests to see if it has spread throughout the body. The first thing the doctor will ask you is the time frame from when you first started noticing this on your body,
Did you know that by far skin cancer is the most common cancers in the United States that at least 20 people die each day from this disease? Today, skin cancer is the most widespread form of cancer, accounting for about 50% of all cancer cases reported annually, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS, 2010). Like the others common cancers, skin cancer it can occurs in both younger and older people. Nowadays we all enjoy being outdoors or exposed to the sun or even being in tanning beds, not knowing how hazardous sunburns and tanning is to our health causing serious damages to the skin, called Skin Cancer, if we do not protect daily our skin properly. Skin Cancer, is a disease that can happen to anyone and anywhere in our body that can easily be prevented if detected early by knowing what are the causes leading to it, symptoms or any signs, and lastly learn ways to reduce the risk of getting skin cancer.
These start commonly to form a mole, which then turn to become cancerous. These types of skin cancers are associated with ultraviolet waves caused by sunlight. This is most common in people who are predisposed to sunburn rather than tan. However, even though this predisposition to ultraviolet rays has been known to cause skin cancer, people still do not take notice of this warning.
Skin cancer is a disease where cancer (malignant) cells are found on the outer layer of the skin (epidermis). The three types of cells found in the epidermis are squamous cells, basal cells, and melanocytes. These cells in time grow to be cancerous. Thus, the three types of skin cancers are squamous cell, basal cell, and melanoma. Melanoma is the most deadliest and destructive type of cancer. (“Skin Cancer” infotrac.com) The number of people with melanoma has risen in Scotland from 3.5 in 1979 to 10.6 per 100,000 in 1998 for men and 7.0 to 13.1 for women. (Miller 945) Squamous cell and Basal cell skin cancer can kill up to 2,200 people a year in the United States. (Sommerfield SIRS.com) Basal cell, being the most common type of skin cancer, is the cancer that about 75 percent of the people have. (“Skin Cancer “ infotrac.com) Melanoma is mostly seen in older men but ever since tanning came in during the 1970’s, it has increased in women 60 percent around the ages 15-29 over the past three decades.(Sommerfield SIRS.com) “And basal cell and squamous cell cancers are increasing at a rate of about 5 percent per year”(Sommerfield SIRS.com).