Question:
Does anybody now the "death rates" of melanoma?
Does anybody now the "history" of melanoma?
Answer:
Here are SOME of your answers. Call the folks below for accurate
data.
Our knowledge about melanoma and how to treat it keeps
increasing. For up-to-date information, call the NCI-supported
Cancer Information Service (CIS) toll free at 1-800-4-CANCER
(1-800-422-6237).
MELANOMA
http://www.mpip.org/
Melanoma is a serious skin cancer which is curable if detected
early .
Melanoma grows from pigment cells (melanocytes) in the outer
layer of the skin and mucous membranes (epidermis). Although
melanoma usually starts as a skin lesion, occasionally it occurs
in other parts of the body such as the eye, mouth or vagina.
Melanoma tends to spread out within the epidermis before moving
into the deeper layer of the skin (the dermis).
It can occur in adults of any age. Melanoma is common in people
aged 50-70. Occasionally it can occur in teenagers but it is
almost unheard of in children.
Unfortunately, about two hundred New Zealanders die each year of
melanoma, but many more are treated successfully. About one in
fifteen white skinned New Zealanders will develop melanoma in
their lifetime.
Causes
The risk factors for developing melanoma include:
Sunlight particularly during childhood
Serious sunburn, especially when young - however, melanoma
sometimes occurs on areas of the body not normally exposed to the
sun
Family history of melanoma
Fair skin which burns easily - melanoma is common in people with
Northern European ancestry, and melanoma is not common among
dark-skinned people
A large number of abnormal moles (called atypical naevi) - these
moles are usually larger than 6mm, with an irregular shape and
multi-coloured. Atypical naevi are not cancers, and a melanoma
does not necessarily start in an atypical mole.
Diagnosis
The first sign of a melanoma is usually a change in a freckle or
mole, or a new spot on the skin. A melanoma often looks like an
unusual freckle with an irregular edge. It may have a variety of
colours including brown, black, blue, red and, occasionally,
light grey.
An early melanoma is normally flat but it may later become
raised. Other signs are a spot, freckle or mole which is itchy or
tender, or bleeds or has a crust. Melanomas can occur anywhere on
the body, not only in areas that get a lot of sun.
If your doctor suspects you have a melanoma, it should be removed
and sent to a laboratory for examination under a microscope
(histology).
If you have a melanoma, the doctor should examine your whole body
to see if any cancer cells have spread to other areas and whether
you have any more melanomas. Other tests are not usually needed.
The thickness of a melanoma is measured in millimeters (from the
top to the deepest point it has reached). Death is unlikely if a
melanoma is less than 0.70 mm thick. About half the patients are
dead within 5 years if the melanoma is more than 4 mm thick.
A melanoma is also classed by the level of the skin it has
reached. The earliest melanoma, known as Level I, is confined to
the epidermis. Invasive melanomas are described from Levels II to
V, depending on how far they have invaded deeper levels of skin.
There are different types of melanoma. The most common type, a
superficial spreading melanoma, starts as a flat, freckle-like
spot which first spreads out sideways in the skin. Other types
include nodular, acral, lentigo maligna, and amelanotic melanoma.
Staging refers to how far the cancer has spread to other parts of
the body. A Stage I melanoma is an early cancer that is limited
to the skin.
Warning signs of Melanoma
Change in size : especially if it grows larger rapidly.
Change in colour : especially if it develops multiple shades of
tan, brown, black, and a mixture of red, white, blue, or the
colour spreads from the edge into the surounding skin.
Change in shape especially if it develops an irregular notched
border which used to be regular.
Change in height : especially if it used to be flat.
The ABCDs of Melanoma
A pigmented lesion (mole or freckle) should be checked by an
experienced doctor if it has any of the ABCD characteristics. Not
all such lesions prove to be malignant.
A - Asymmetry
B - Border irregularity
C - Colour variation
D - Diameter over 6 mm
Treatment
Early melanomas are excised surgically. The extent of surgery
depends on the thickness of the melanoma and its site. Most thin
melanomas do not need extensive surgery. They are usually removed
using a local anaesthetic, and the defect stitched up. A small
area of normal skin around the melanoma is also excised to make
sure that all the melanoma cells have been removed.
For thicker melanomas, a much wider area of skin is cut out. A
skin graft might be necessary, which replaces the removed skin
with skin taken from another part of the body. The lymph glands
in the area may also be removed.
If the melanoma is widespread, other forms of treatment may be
necessary.
Follow-up
After treatment, regular check-ups are arranged for a period.
These checks are important to treat any further problems from the
melanoma and to detect any new melanoma early.
Regular self skin examination is advisable.
