About Malignant Melanoma

There are many medical diseases that can make one’s life difficult, but there are a few which are as frowned upon as malignant melanoma. First, let us see what melanoma really is. After that we will talk more about the other aspects of this disease, such as the symptoms and treatment. First, the most important thing – melanoma is a type of a cancer. We all know how serious cancer is, so if you ever suspect on something of that sort you should immediately contact you physician. Melanoma is a type of cancer that develops in the skin. More precisely, it develops in the pigment cells that we have in our skin. Our whole body is covered with skin and that is why this disease is especially serious. It can be easily spread through the patient’s whole body and if that happens, their life is at severe risk.

Malignant melanoma: Basic information

The number of people suffering from this disease is really frightening. Statistics show that just in the United States there are 50 thousand new cases each year. Although not all melanomas are considered to be a malignant melanoma, this disease should be taken extremely seriously no matter the type. A positive thing about this particular type of cancer is that it is not that hard to recognize and diagnose. It usually manifests itself as a mole somewhere on the body. In some cases it may be some mole that the patient had before, but it changed in shape and texture; and in some other cases it may be a different alternation on the skin. Each person is best familiar with their own body and that is why in many cases the patients are the first ones noticing that something is wrong. If discovered early, melanoma can be easily treated – often with a simple surgical procedure.

Malignant melanoma: Causes and factors that increase the risk

As it is the case with most medical conditions and diseases, some people are more susceptible to malignant melanoma than others. Also, there are some factors that can influence people’s chances of getting affected by melanoma. One of the biggest factors that can increase that risk is ultra-violet radiation of all kinds. We are constantly exposed to that kind of radiation, as we live under the sun. Sunbeds are also things you would ideally want to stay away from. Although many people are regularly using them, they can seriously affect your chances of getting melanoma. Furthermore, the skin type is also the factor. Fair skin, blue eyes, red hear, freckles – all of these features can increase the chances of getting affected by melanoma. We already mentioned moles earlier. Aside for these factors, the family history is also important, as well as reduced immunity (from HIV for example).

Malignant melanoma: Treatment

If the malignant melanoma is discovered early in the patient, it can be treated with surgery. Hopefully, everything will go as planned and the patient will be free from this disease after the treatment. However, in case it comes back, there are some other ways of treatment such as a radiotherapy or laser therapy. Also, there are some special procedures available if the patient is not among the lucky ones who discovered melanoma in its early stage. However, the risk of fatal consequences is much greater in those cases.

About The Skin Cancer Foundation

The Skin Cancer Foundation is an international organization which is devoted to the detection, treatment and prevention of skin cancer. This Foundation was founded by the Mohs surgeon and dermatologist Perry Robins, MD and its headquarters are in New York City. The Skin Cancer Foundation distributes a large amount of educational, medically reviewed information on skin cancer and sun protection in the form of posters and brochures, as well as articles in their journal and on the official website. The Skin Cancer Foundation is recognized as the preeminent resource on all issues related to skin cancer. Their Seal is a symbol of effective and safe sun protection products and it is recognized by the consumers all around the world.                                                                                     

The mission of the Skin Cancer Foundation

Since it was founded in 1979, this Foundation has set the standards for the education of the medical professionals and the public about skin cancer, its early detection, its prevention with sun protection and effective treatments. This is the only international organization that is solely devoted to the combat against the most common type of cancer in the world, which is now affecting people at epidemic levels. This type of cancer affects more than 13 million people annually, which means that one of every three cancers in the world is diagnosed as skin cancer. The number of new cases of skin cancer is increasing each year, which makes the work and mission of the Skin Cancer Foundation very significant for the society.                                        

The education efforts of the Skin Cancer Foundation

This Foundation is responsible for emphasizing the public awareness of the prevention of skin cancer through sun protection. The official website of the Foundation (www.skincancer.org) provides educational information on the treatment, early detection and prevention of skin cancer, including publications for the medical professionals and the members of the public. The official website of the Foundation receives nearly 3 million visits every year; and the amount of information and resources on this website makes it the leading information resource on this condition for millions of people from all countries in the world. The websites provides information in several languages. The printed educational materials of the Foundation are widely distributed by community wellness programs, retail chains, health fairs, screening clinics and dermatologists. The Skin Cancer Foundation provides the public with millions of public service announcements, manuals, newsletters, books, posters, brochures and audiovisual materials.    

The importance of the Skin Cancer Foundation: conclusion

Most people think that prevention of skin cancer is all about sun protection, but early detection (also known as secondary prevention) is also crucially important. As the President of the Foundation, Perry Robins, MD says, the sooner the doctor identifies and diagnoses a suspected skin cancer, the more successfully and easily it can be treated. The website of the Foundation, www.skincancer.org, provides vital information on self-examination, tracking changes and recognizing suspicious skin conditions. The skin cancer seems to be constantly on the rise, but thanks to the ongoing work of this Foundation and its information about prevention, detection and treatment of skin cancer, the awareness of the public is significantly increased. The website provides people with the opportunity to get involved in the process of educating individuals and their families for protection from excessive sun exposure.

Acral lentiginous melanoma- symptoms and treatment

Melanoma is one of the most serious cancer forms and is the sixth most common cancer in the U.S. It develops in the person’s skin cells known as melanocytes, found in the epidermis’ lower part. The melanocytes are responsible for providing the skin’s pigment. The number of melanoma cases which are diagnosed every year is increasing very fast. After the diagnoses, the next thing that needs to be done is determination of the stage according to the tumor’s thickness, its aggressiveness and its spreading extent. Knowing the stage is very important, because that info actually determines the appropriate treatment for the patient. Melanoma usually starts as a lesion. Cancer cells start to spread to the lymph nodes around, and later to distant sites throughout the entire body. Once the disease spreads to more distant locations, the condition is called metastatic melanoma.

What is Metastatic Melanoma?

Stage IV melanoma, or commonly known as metastatic or advanced melanoma, is the term for melanoma spreading into the lymph nodes, deeper parts of the skin and other body parts, including the liver, brain and lungs. Although the cells have spread to other body parts, due to the fact that the cancer cells originate from melanoma, this cancer form is called metastatic melanoma. This term is used when cutaneous, ocular or mucosal kind of melanoma has spread to distant organs of the body. Unfortunately, melanoma cannot be “caught” on time, since the patient does not feel any signs or symptoms during the early stages. The symptoms are present once the disease is already spread, thus the early detection is almost impossible, which means that the treatment is more crucial.

Risk Factors of Metastatic Melanoma

For patients with advanced melanoma, the disease has spread into many body parts or internal organs. The treatment focuses mostly on prolonging the survival, providing comfort, preventing development of new sites and shrinking the growth. The risk factors of metastatic melanoma include sun sensitivity, family history and abnormal moles. People with freckled and fair skin and blond or red hair with blue or gray eyes are more in risk to develop melanoma. Those with family history of melanoma are more likely to develop this disease. Dysplastic nevus is a mole that differentiates from other common moles. It can appear on any body part and it can also increase the risk of developing melanoma.

Treatment Options for Metastatic Melanoma

As for the treatment options, metastatic melanoma is treated by cutting out the infected skin portion and following up with chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The type of treatment that is implemented depends on the location of the disease. If it is spread in the lymph nodes, chemotherapy will be enough. Melanoma usually appears on the skin and it might resemble a stem or mole. The edges of the mole are jagged, undefined and most cases of melanoma contain pigments of pink, brown and black. When the visible part of melanoma has been taken care of, the process continues with treatment through which it can be determined where the melanoma has been spread, as well as how serious and aggressive it grows. For that, additional surgeries and radiation therapy might be required.

Metastatic Melanoma

Melanoma is one of the most serious cancer forms and is the sixth most common cancer in the U.S. It develops in the person’s skin cells known as melanocytes, found in the epidermis’ lower part. The melanocytes are responsible for providing the skin’s pigment. The number of melanoma cases which are diagnosed every year is increasing very fast. After the diagnoses, the next thing that needs to be done is determination of the stage according to the tumor’s thickness, its aggressiveness and its spreading extent. Knowing the stage is very important, because that info actually determines the appropriate treatment for the patient. Melanoma usually starts as a lesion. Cancer cells start to spread to the lymph nodes around, and later to distant sites throughout the entire body. Once the disease spreads to more distant locations, the condition is called metastatic melanoma.

What is Metastatic Melanoma?

Stage IV melanoma, or commonly known as metastatic or advanced melanoma, is the term for melanoma spreading into the lymph nodes, deeper parts of the skin and other body parts, including the liver, brain and lungs. Although the cells have spread to other body parts, due to the fact that the cancer cells originate from melanoma, this cancer form is called metastatic melanoma. This term is used when cutaneous, ocular or mucosal kind of melanoma has spread to distant organs of the body. Unfortunately, melanoma cannot be “caught” on time, since the patient does not feel any signs or symptoms during the early stages. The symptoms are present once the disease is already spread, thus the early detection is almost impossible, which means that the treatment is more crucial.

Risk Factors of Metastatic Melanoma

For patients with advanced melanoma, the disease has spread into many body parts or internal organs. The treatment focuses mostly on prolonging the survival, providing comfort, preventing development of new sites and shrinking the growth. The risk factors of metastatic melanoma include sun sensitivity, family history and abnormal moles. People with freckled and fair skin and blond or red hair with blue or gray eyes are more in risk to develop melanoma. Those with family history of melanoma are more likely to develop this disease. Dysplastic nevus is a mole that differentiates from other common moles. It can appear on any body part and it can also increase the risk of developing melanoma.

Treatment Options for Metastatic Melanoma

As for the treatment options, metastatic melanoma is treated by cutting out the infected skin portion and following up with chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The type of treatment that is implemented depends on the location of the disease. If it is spread in the lymph nodes, chemotherapy will be enough. Melanoma usually appears on the skin and it might resemble a stem or mole. The edges of the mole are jagged, undefined and most cases of melanoma contain pigments of pink, brown and black. When the visible part of melanoma has been taken care of, the process continues with treatment through which it can be determined where the melanoma has been spread, as well as how serious and aggressive it grows. For that, additional surgeries and radiation therapy might be required.

About lentigo maligna melanoma

Breast cancer is not the only disease with increasing incidence in the medical world. Lentigo maligna melanoma is a type of skin cancer that has been diagnosed many times in the last couple of years. Every year, around 60.000 new cases are being diagnosed, which makes this condition among the most frequent types of cancer in the world. This skin cancer is more frequent in women than in men, and in most cases it affects females between the age of 25 and 30. In this article, you can read about these disease’s symptoms, whether or not the patient can spot them and how you can protect yourself from this skin condition.

About the lentigo maligna melanoma condition

Doctors have hard time spotting this cancer with the naked eye, because at first it looks like a freckle. In 30 percent of the cases, this condition arises on the head and neck, but other parts of the body are sometimes affected as well. Lentigo maligna melanoma was first described in 1890 by Sir John Hutchinson and that is why many doctors refer to it as Hutchinson melanotic freckle. When it was first detected, it was thought that it was an infectious disease because of its fast progression, but nowadays we know that it affects chronically damaged skin tissues. Many doctors appear to think that this condition is not actually melanoma, but a sign or precursor of the disease. However, because of the disease’s fast progression and growth, it is treated as invasive melanoma. People with fair skin are at greatest risk, but severe sunburn, frequent sun exposure and ultraviolet radiation exposure are the biggest factors in developing this skin cancer.

Lentigo maligna melanoma – epidemiology and evaluation

Since this condition is predisposed for patients with severe skin damage from ultraviolet exposure, people living in Australia and Hawaii are the ones at the biggest risk. Lentigo maligna melanoma counts for 15% of all melanomas in Australia and mostly patients over the age of 40 years are being diagnosed with this condition. Sun and ultraviolet exposure is not the only factor that can indicate the presence of this skin cancer. This skin disease is associated with other health conditions as well, such as Basal cell carcinoma, Porphyria cutanea tarda and Tyrosine-positive oculocutaneous albinism. The Werner syndrome and Xeroderma pigmentosum may be the triggers for melanomas too, but people with pale skin and natural red hair are especially advised to avoid occupational exposure and frequent sunburns.

Lentigo maligna melanoma management

Lentigo maligna melanoma might be present in the body years before the actual diagnoses. Thorough and complete physical examination is needed if the doctor suspects the presence of this cancer in a patient. This cancer usually metastasizes in the brain, lungs and liver and the sooner it is diagnosed, the sooner it can be treated with surgery. If the surgical procedure is not possible for the patient, immune response therapies are available. Cryotherapy and radiotherapy are advised, but many doctors advice against radiotherapy because it may miss the focal point of this skin cancer. 5% topical imiquimod creams have been proven to be effective in many cases, but your doctor can tell you which treatment option will be best with your condition.