Desmoplastic Melanoma

Desmoplastic melanoma is a special type of melanoma which usually appears in white people. It is a rare type of melanoma, whose cells are surrounded by fibrous tissue. We can point out that it is a condition which is most commonly found among elderly men. It usually affects the skin that has been exposed to sun light, since its appearance is connected with the pigment cells in the human body. This disease can be found under different names, such as Spindled melanoma and neurotropic melanoma. All in all, it is a type of melanoma which appears locally and distant metastases are very rare. The patients must self-examination their skin regularly once the condition has been diagnosed.

 

Desmoplastic melanoma: factors, signs and symptoms

The major factors that play a vital role in the appearance of desmoplastic melanoma are age, sun exposure, fair skin and family history of any type of melanoma. This means that elderly people who have been exposing their skin to sunlight frequently have a huge possibility of getting this illness. In almost fifty percent of the cases the melanoma appears on the neck or the head, since these two parts of the body are the ones which are exposed to sun light most of the time. The first sign is the lump which appears on the skin and its size may vary from 6 mm to almost 2 cm in diameter. The surface of the lump is irregular and not so smooth, and the person has variable pigmentation of the scar. The lump is usually skin- or pinky colored.

Desmoplastic melanoma: symptoms of invasive type of melanoma

There are cases when the desmoplastic melanoma is of an invasive type and the patient experiences different, more serious symptoms. For instance, the patient is faced with stinging and itching; and bleeding and ulceration are possible to happen as well. Part of the lesion may be thickened and the spot may get a different color, such as blue or black. If these symptoms are easily perceivable, the patient needs to seek for suitable medical care immediately. We must point out that the real trigger of the condition is still unknown to the scientists, but they are certain that this type of melanoma is connected with the influence of the sun. 

Desmoplastic melanoma: treatment and conclusion

There are few tests which need to be run in order to check the presence of desmoplastic melanoma in the patient. Thus, neurofibroma, hypertrophic scar, dermatofibroma and melanocytic naevi are conditions which are checked through the process known as dermoscopy. Moreover, the doctors run additional tests such as a pathology report and biopsy. The basic treatment of the disease is to cut the part of the skin out. One of the most important things of this condition is the staging process – the most difficult stage is the 4th one, since distant metastasis is present in the body of the patient. The patients who are diagnosed with stages 0, 1 and 2 have easier consequences on their health. In conclusion, every patient diagnosed with this condition must immediately seek help from specialists.