What is malignant melanoma?

Malignant melanoma is a potentially serious skin cancer in which the pigment-producing cells in your skin that produce a dark-colored substance call “melanin” undergo uncontrolled growth. Melanoma may suddenly appear without warning, but can often develop from or near a mole. However, it can occur anywhere on your skin.

Is melanoma a serious disease?

Yes, but if melanoma is caught early, it can nearly always be treated successfully. In the late stages melanoma spreads to other organs and can be fatal.

How common is melanoma?

Although melanoma is less common than other skin cancers, it is increasing at a faster rate than any other form of cancer, except lung cancer in women. There are an estimated 53,000 new cases expected to be diagnosed this year in the United States. During the past 15-years, the number of cases in the U.S. has almost doubled.

What causes melanoma?

Excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun may be the primary cause of melanoma. Malignant melanoma has been linked to both overexposure to the sun over a lifetime and to painful sunburns during childhood. Genetic factors may also play an important role in melanoma development.

Who gets melanoma?

Malignant melanoma can strike anyone. However, whites are at far greater risk than individuals with darker skin. Melanoma occurs in both the young and middle-aged and affects men and women equally. Certain individuals are at greater risk. Some factors include:

• Prior diagnoses of malignant melanoma
• Having unusual (dysplastic) moles or many moles
• Family members who have had melanoma (parent, child, sibling)
• Fair skin
• Red or blood hair
• Lots of freckles
• Excessive exposure to the sun in the first 10 to 15 years of life or a lifetime of intense sun exposure
• Certain kinds of birth moles

What are dysplastic nevi?

A nevus is a mole. Almost all moles are normal. Atypical, or dysplastic nevi, are unusual moles that are generally larger than normal moles (bigger than the width of a pencil eraser) and are either flat or have a flat part. They have irregular borders and often have varying shades of color, particularly shades of brown.

Most often, dysplastic nevi appear on the back, but may also occur on the scalp, breasts and buttocks. The presence of atypical nevi may mark a greater risk of malignant melanoma developing on apparently normal skin.

Should atypical (dysplastic) nevi be removed before they become cancerous?

Specialists recommend careful and regular monitoring of these moles and surgical removal of some suspicious or changing lesions, depending on the clinical situation.

How can I recognize malignant melanoma?

Melanoma generally begins as a medium brown to black, flat discoloration with irregular borders. The discoloration is often at least 1/4-inch in size and may turn shades of red, blue, and white, and may also crust on the surface and bleed. All, or a portion, of the melanoma may be raised.

Often melanoma occurs within previously existing moles. They frequently appear on the upper back, torso, lower legs, and head and neck. A changing mole may be an important risk factor and a mole that is different or “ugly” or begins to grow requires prompt medical attention.

Can melanoma be cured?

Yes. When detected early, surgical removal or melanomas can cure the disease in most cases. Early detection is essential: there is a direct relationship between the thickness of the melanoma and survival rates.

Regular self-examination of your skin to detect changes in your skin and in existing moles or blemishes is urged. Additionally, a head-to-toe skin examination by your physician is recommended once a year in many patients.

Can melanoma be prevented?

Yes. Because overexposure to ultraviolet light is thought to be a primary cause of malignant melanoma, dermatologist recommend the following precautions:

• Avoid the peak sunlight hours between 10 am and 2 pm when the sun’s rays are the strongest.
• Avoid tanning parlors and sunlamps.
• Apply liberally and regularly a sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of at least 15. Reapply every two hours when working, playing or exercising outdoors, and apply initially about half an hour before going outdoors.
• Wear protective clothing, including a hat and long-sleeved shirt and pants during prolonged periods of sun exposure.
• Examine your skin regularly – once a month is recommended.
• Learn the danger of skin cancer and at any sign of change see a qualified melanoma specialist immediately.
• If you are at risk for melanoma, get professional check-ups on a regular basis.
• Teach your children about the risks of sun exposure. Protect them by keeping them out of the sun or minimizing sun exposure, and apply sunscreen regularly when they are outside.