Striving to Increase Melanoma Awareness, Funding and Research
Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer. However, if it is recognized and treated early, it is nearly 100 percent curable. But if it is not, the cancer can advance and spread to other parts of the body, where it becomes hard to treat and can be fatal. While it is not the most common of the skin cancers, it causes the most deaths. The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2007, there will be 8,110 fatalities, 5,220 in men and 2,800 in women in the U.S. The number of new cases of melanoma is estimated at 59,940; of these, 33,910 will be in men and 26,030 in women.
Melanoma begins in skin cells called melanocytes. Melanocytes are the cells that make melanin, which gives skin its color. Melanin also protects the deeper layers of the skin from the sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. When people spend time in the sunlight, the melanocytes make more melanin and cause the skin to tan. This also happens when skin is exposed to other forms of ultraviolet light (such as in a tanning booth). If the skin receives too much ultraviolet light, the melanocytes may begin to grow abnormally and become cancerous. This condition is called melanoma.
How and where does melanoma appear?
The first sign of melanoma is often a change in the size, shape, or color of a mole. But melanoma can also appear on the body as a new mole. The majority of melanomas are black or brown. However, some melanomas are skin-colored, pink, red, purple, blue or white.
In men, melanoma most often shows up:
on the upper body, between the shoulders and hips and on the head and neck.
In women, melanoma often develops on the lower legs.
In dark-skinned people, melanoma often appears under the fingernails or toenails, on the palms of the hands and on the soles of the feet.
Although these are the most common places on the body for melanomas to appear, they can appear anywhere on the skin. That's why it is important to always examine your skin to check for new moles or changes in moles. With early diagnosis and treatment, the chances of recovery are very good.
The chance of getting melanoma increases as you get older, but people of any age can get melanoma. In fact, melanoma is one of the most common cancers in young adults. Each year, more than 50,000 people in the U.S. learn that they have melanoma.
The ABCD's of Melanoma
A sudden or continuous change in the appearance of a mole is a sign that you should see your doctor. The ABCD rule can help you remember the symptoms of melanoma:
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A for Asymmetry One half is different than the other half. |
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B for Border Irregularity The edges are notched, uneven, or blurred. |
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C for Color The color is uneven. Shades of brown, tan, and black are present. |
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D for Diameter Diameter is greater than 6 millimeters. |
Other Warning Signs:
• The appearance of a new bump or nodule
• Color spreads into surrounding skin
• redness or swelling beyond the mole
• pain
• tenderness
• itching
• bleeding
• oozing
• scaly appearance
For more information on melanoma, visit the Melanoma Research Foundation
