Skin Cancer – Melanoma

Melanoma (cutaneous malignant melanoma) is a type of skin cancer which, if not treated, can spread to other organs in the body. The following details provide facts about causes, risk factors and symptoms–how diagnosed and different treatments:

A common sign of melanoma is a change in appearance of an existing mole, or the appearance of a new mole. These moles can appear anywhere on the body, but are most often found on the arms, face, back and legs.

Facts:

• Melanoma is amongst the most common types of cancer in people aged between 15 to 34
• 13,000 plus, people each year are diagnosed with melanoma

Types:

Research reveals that while there are several different types of Melanoma existing, there are 3 main kinds:

1) Superficial spreading melanoma

2) Nodular melanoma

3) Lentigo maligna melanoma

These three types account for up to 90%, with Acral lentiginous melanoma and a few other melanomas making up the other 10%.

Causes & Risk Factors

• Melanoma starts when skin cells called ‘melanocytes’ start to develop abnormally.

Exposure to sun and sunbed use is linked to melanoma and is an important risk factorOther factors can also increase the risk of developing skin cancers, such as having:

• Lots of freckles
• Pale or fair skin that burns easily
• Blond or red hair

Moles

Be extra careful is you already have moles, regarding exposure to the sun. Some people have more moles than others from unusually shaped moles to large moles (called atypical mole syndrome). This doesn’t mean you’ll definitely get melanoma, but it means you should take extra care about sun exposure and also the use of sunbeds.

As a rule, if you notice anything unusual on your skin which doesn’t disappear within a month–get it checked out by your consultant.

Treatment

If diagnosed with Melanoma, it should be removed surgically under a local anaesthetic to confirm the diagnosis. If confirmed the amount of skin removed during the excision, will depend on the pathology findings from the first biopsy. The best chance of curing a melanoma is to remove as early as possible to avoid spreading. Check it out with your specialist at Sheffield Dermatology.

MAKE AN ENQUIRY