Melanoma is a type of Skin cancer that develops in the cells producing melanin that is responsible for the color of the skin. It is the rarest but the most aggressive form of skin cancer. It usually develops in the eyes and skin but rarely inside the body such as the throat or nose. Usually, people below the age of 40 have a high risk of developing Melanoma Skin Cancer especially women of this age. It can be cured when detected at an early stage.
Symptoms
Melanomas develop in the area that has high exposure to the sun such as legs, back, face, and arms. It can also develop in the areas that have less exposure to the sun such as fingernail beds, soles of feet, and palms of your hands. The very first symptoms and signs of melanoma cancer is-
- Change in the size and color of existing moles
- The sudden appearance of pigmented and unusual looking patches on different parts of the skin
Melanoma does not always begin as a mole. It can also develop on normal-looking skin. It shows various other symptoms such as
- A dark spot on the skin or emergence of mole- Moles usually appears in childhood or in adolescence, and change in color and size with age. New moles keep on growing at times with changes in hormones. The main reason behind the growth of moles is when the skin cells grow in a cluster rather than spreading throughout the skin.
- The growth of the mole- The mole that emerges on the skin starts to grow or to spread in the rest part of the body. The common reason for the spreading of a mole is the individual’s genetics and exposure to the sun. During this process of spreading the new mole appears and the old one gets larger. Gradually the moles start itching along with providing a painful experience to the victim.
- Change in the band of color beneath or around the nail- This can be a sign to determine if the person is affected by melanoma. A light or dark-brown colored band appears vertically on the nail. It gradually expands and covers the whole nail.
- A sore which doesn’t heal- Usually when a sore appears it gets healed within a few weeks. But if it does not get healed, then it can be the symptom of melanoma skin cancer which might spread soon.
- Unusual moles- Moles with irregular shapes and borders, with uneven distribution of colors or with many colors, or growth of new moles which are greater than 6 millimeters are some of the common symptoms of melanoma cancer.
Causes
Melanoma skin cancer appears when something goes wrong in the melanocytes which produce melanin that gives color to the skin. Skin cells grow in order. When new cells grow they push the older cells towards the surface of the skin where they die and fall off. But due to damage in the DNA of the cells, they start growing out of control and may form a mass of cells that might be cancerous in nature.
The exact reason for melanoma skin cancer is not known yet, but it is likely to be because of the combination of environmental and genetic factors. Ultraviolet rays can also be considered as a cause behind this disease.
Treatment
The treatment of melanoma skin cancer depends on the size and stage of cancer and overall health condition.
- Melanomas at an early stage can be removed by performing surgery.
- Melanomas that have spread beyond skin can be treated by immunotherapy, targeted therapy, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. It can also be cured by performing surgery to remove the affected lymph nodes.
Disclaimer: The information in no way constitutes, or should be construed as medical advice. Nor is the above article an endorsement of any research findings discussed in the article an endorsement for any of the source publications.
Sources-
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/melanoma/symptoms-causes/syc-20374884
- https://www.webmd.com/melanoma-skin-cancer/default.htm
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