Is Melanoma Skin Cancer Deadly

What Happens If Melanoma Is Left Untreated

Even though this form of skin cancer impacts a relatively low percentage of patients, melanoma skin cancers make up the majority of skin cancer deaths. Melanoma lesions often look like moles, freckles, or sunspots, and they may even develop within an existing mark on your body. Unlike other forms of skin cancer that are slow to progress and unlikely to spread to other areas, melanoma advances quickly and can form or spread anywhere on the body. In order to diagnose melanoma in the earliest stages, patients need to remember the ABCDEFs of melanoma, as discussed above.

How People Of Color Can Reduce Their Skin Cancer Risk

Dermatologists in the United States tell their patients with skin of color to reduce their risk of getting skin cancer by doing the following:

Skin of color: How to prevent and detect skin cancer

Although people of color have a lower risk of developing skin cancer than Caucasians, when skin cancer develops in people of color, it is often diagnosed at a more advanced stage making it more difficult to treat.

Follow these tips from dermatologists to protect your skin from the sun and reduce your risk of skin cancer.

Prognosis And Survival For Non

If you have non-melanoma skin cancer, you may have questions about your prognosis. A prognosis is the doctors best estimate of how cancer will affect someone and how it will respond to treatment. Prognosis and survival depend on many factors. Only a doctor familiar with your medical history, the type, size and grade of the cancer, the treatments chosen and the response to treatment can put all of this information together with survival statistics to arrive at a prognosis.

A prognostic factor is an aspect of the cancer or a characteristic of the person that the doctor will consider when making a prognosis. Prognostic factors help doctors predict a prognosis and plan treatment and follow-up.

Doctors use many of the following prognostic factors to classify basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma into risk groups. The risk groups help the doctor estimate the risk that the cancer will come back . Doctors also use the risk groups to help plan the best treatment.

Prognosis and survival for most non-melanoma skin cancers is excellent. The following are prognostic factors for non-melanoma skin cancer.

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Whats The First Thing To Do After A Stage 4 Diagnosis

With so much information readily available on the internet, its easy to panic, says Dr. Fathi. So, the first thing you should do when you are diagnosed with stage 4 melanoma is to get all the information you can from your doctor. Dr. Hamid elaborates. You should ask: Whats the first therapy I can get? How is it given? What are the side effects? And am I at greater risk of side effects? he says. Additionally, he adds, Patients should always get a second opinion.

Can I Prevent Melanoma

Like all forms of skin cancer, sun exposure is the most common cause of melanoma, so the longer you are exposed to UVA/B rays, the more youll increase your risk of developing skin cancers, including melanoma. By limiting your time spent in the sun, wearing a broad-spectrum sunscreen, and covering skin when possible, youll drastically diminish your risk for all skin cancers, including melanoma. In addition to limiting sun exposure, you should also perform regular skin exams to check for the ABCDEs of skin cancer as well as visiting with a dermatologist once each year for a professional skin exam. This is especially important if you are at a higher risk for skin cancer. People who are at an elevated risk for skin cancer include those who have:

• History of extensive sun exposure
• History of sunburns, specifically blistering sunburns
• Used indoor tanning beds

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The Good News Is That If Detected Early Melanoma Can Be Effectively Treated3

Ensure you and your loved ones have an annual skin check with your GP, skin cancer practitioner or dermatologist, or if you have noticed any of the above changes to existing moles or spots book in for a quick spot check.

References

1. Australian Cancer Council 2. Melanoma Institute Australia 3. Melanoma Institute Australia 4. Australian Cancer Council

What Are The Causes And Risk Factors For Melanoma

Guideline # 5: Individual sunburns do raise one’s risk of melanoma. However, slow daily sun exposure, even without burning, may also substantially raise someone’s risk of skin cancer.

Factors that raise one’s risk for melanoma include the following:

• Caucasian ancestry
• Fair skin, light hair, and light-colored eyes
• A history of intense, intermittent sun exposure, especially in childhood
• Many moles
• Large, irregular, or “funny looking” moles
• Close blood relatives — parents, siblings, and children — with melanoma

The presence of close family with melanoma is a high risk factor, although looking at all cases of melanoma, only 10% of cases run in families.

Having a history of other sun-induced skin cancers raises one’s risk of melanoma because they are markers of long-term sun exposure. The basic cell type is different, however, and a basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma cannot “turn into melanoma” or vice versa.

It is no longer recommended to do large batteries of screening tests on patients with thin, uncomplicated melanoma excisions, but patients who have had thicker tumors diagnosed or who already have signs and symptoms of metastatic melanoma may need to have MRIs, PET scans, CT scans, chest X-rays, or other X-rays of bones when there is a concern of metastasis.

The biopsy report may show any of the following:

In general, early localized melanoma is treated by surgery alone.

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Melanoma Can Go Away On Its Own

Melanoma on the skin can spontaneously regress, or begin to, without any treatment. Thats because the bodys immune system is able launch an assault on the disease thats strong enough to spur its retreat. Unfortunately, sometimes this happens only after the disease has spread to other parts of the body, such as the liver, lungs, bones, or brain.

The observation that the immune system can cause melanoma to regress was one of the key insights that led to the development of immunotherapy as a successful treatment for melanoma, explains Dr. Marghoob. The thinking went, if the immune system can get rid of melanoma on its own, there must also be a way to enhance the immune systems natural ability to fight melanoma. This eventually led researchers to develop drugs designed to enhance the immune systems ability to successfully fight melanoma that has spread.

What If I Have Metastatic Melanoma Symptoms

Whether you have a suspicious mole or are experiencing some symptoms of advanced-stage melanoma, it is important to consult with a physician to receive an accurate diagnosis, as many other conditions can cause similar symptoms. At Moffitt Cancer Center, we provide a comprehensive range of screening, diagnostic, treatment and supportive care services for patients with melanoma and other types of cancer. Within our Cutaneous Oncology Program, our multispecialty team includes surgeons, dermatologists, medical oncologists and other experts who work together as a tumor board to ensure our patients receive the best possible treatment and care.

If you would like to schedule an appointment at Moffitt to discuss your metastatic melanoma symptoms, call or fill out a new patient registration form online. We do not require a referral to schedule an appointment.

• BROWSE

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Types Of Skin Malignancies:

• Melanoma the least common form of skin cancer, but responsible for more deaths per year than squamous cell and basal cell skin cancers combined. Melanoma is also more likely to spread and may be harder to control.
• Nonmelanoma malignancies:
• Squamous cell cancer the second-most common skin cancer. It’s more aggressive and may require extensive surgery, depending on location and nerve involvement.
• Basal cell cancer the most common form of skin cancer. It is rarely fatal but can be locally aggressive.

These skin malignancies are typically caused by ultraviolet radiation from exposure to the sun and tanning beds.

Make A Difference: Start Checking Your Skin Today

People of color have a lower risk than whites of getting skin cancer. But they still have a risk. Monthly skin self-exams can help you find skin cancer early when a cure is likely.

ImagesImages 3 11: Used with permission of Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology:

• Images 3, 4, 9, 10, and 11: J Am Acad Dermatol. 2014 70:748-62.

• Images 5, 6, 7, and 8: J Am Acad Dermatol. 2006 55:741-60.

Image 12: Image used with permission of the American Academy of Dermatology National Library of Dermatologic Teaching Slides.

ReferencesAgbai ON, MD, Buster K, et al. Skin cancer and photoprotection in people of color: A review and recommendations for physicians and the public. J Am Acad Dermatol 2014 70:748-62.

American Academy of Dermatology. Dermatologists provide recommendations for preventing and detecting skin cancer in people of color. News release issued February 4, 2014.

Gloster HM and Neal K. Skin cancer in skin of color. J Am Acad Dermatol 2006 55:741-60.

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How Often Does Mcc Spread

Around one-third to one-half of people with MCC will experience metastasis, most commonly to the brain, lungs, liver, or bones.

Treatment options for MCC vary based on the stage of the disease and how healthy a patient is overall. Treatment options include:

• Surgical removal of the tumor
• Radiation
• Chemotherapy

What Kind Of Treatment Will I Need

There are many ways to treat melanoma. The main types of treatment are:

• Surgery

Most early stage melanomas can be treated with surgery alone. More advanced cancers need other treatments.

The treatment plan thats best for you will depend on:

• The stage of the cancer
• The results of lab tests on the cancer cells
• The chance that a type of treatment will cure the melanoma or help in some way
• Your age
• Other health problems you have
• Your feelings about the treatment and the side effects that come with it

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Preventing Melanoma Isn’t Just About Sun Care

It would be easy to say that sunlight and ultraviolet radiation cause melanoma, because they generally do. And your risk goes up if a first-degree relative had melanoma or possibly other cancers, like breast or prostate. But that doesnt explain why melanoma is so much more aggressive and, in many cases, more deadly in men than in women, or why its hitting younger guys in particular. Doctors have some theories, thinking the increase in risk could be biological, social, or maybe both.

One potential explanation is the classic idea that men might be putting themselves in harms way. Melanomas in men tend to be on the torso and backspots that are exposed to the sun when guys take off their shirts to play basketball, mow the lawn, or walk on the beach. Deny that youre lax about sun protection all you want, but the tumors tell the truth: Melanomas found in men usually have more mutations caused by UV radiation, notes Dr. Markowitz, as opposed to mutations caused by family history.

But why its hitting younger guys is still a head-scratcher. Some doctors point to tanning-bed useeven a single session raises the odds of getting melanoma by up to 70 percent, says Mona Mofid, M.D., medical director of the American Melanoma Foundation. But thats not so germane, since men arent the beds primary users.

So Is Melanoma Deadly

Dr. Tello says, When it comes to answering this question, I like to tell patients theres good news and bad news. The good news is, with early detection, melanoma responds very well to treatment. In fact, people diagnosed with the earliest stage melanoma have over a 99% survival rate after five years if the skin cancer is detected and treated appropriately. The survival rate for melanoma drops significantly once melanoma metastasizes, so catching melanoma in the early stages is essential. Thats why I always emphasize the importance of completing regular self-skin exams and visiting the dermatologist for a professional skin cancer evaluation.

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What Are The Survival Rates For Metastatic Melanoma

Survival rates for melanoma, especially for metastatic melanoma, vary widely according to many factors, including the patient’s age, overall health, location of the tumor, particular findings on the examination of the biopsy, and of course the depth and stage of the tumor. Survival statistics are generally based on 5-year survival rates rather than raw cure rates. Much of the success reported for the targeted therapies focuses on disease-free time because in many cases the actual 5-year survival is not affected. It is hoped that combination therapy discussed above will change that.

• For stage 1 , 5-year survival is ⥠90%.
• For stage 2 , 5-year survival is 80%-90%.
• For stage 3 , 5-year survival is around 50%.
• For stage 4 , 5-year survival is 10%-25% depending upon sex and other demographic factors.

Is There Hopeful New Research On Stage 4 Melanoma

Doctors are encouraged by new studies on treating metastatic melanoma. Melanoma has become a poster child of how to treat cancer successfully, Dr. Fathi says. Compared to 15 years ago, our treatments are far more effective with fewer side effects. We are finding more creative ways to recruit ones own immune system to treat cancer once thought to be a death sentence. Dr. Hamid echoes this thinking. Were hopeful that were finding new therapies from multiple clinical trials, he says. Physicians are now getting more information from patients tumors to help in staging, prognosis, and treatment.

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What Are The Four Main Types Of Melanoma Of The Skin

Superficial spreading melanoma

What you should know: This is the most common form of melanoma.

How and where it grows: It can arise in an existing mole or appear as a new lesion. When it begins in a mole that is already on the skin, it tends to grow on the surface of the skin for some time before penetrating more deeply. While it can be found nearly anywhere on the body, it is most likely to appear on the torso in men, the legs in women and the upper back in both.

What it looks like: It may appear as a flat or slightly raised and discolored, asymmetrical patch with uneven borders. Colors include shades of tan, brown, black, red/pink, blue or white. It can also lack pigment and appear as a pink or skin-tone lesion .

Lentigo maligna

What you should know: This form of melanoma often develops in older people. When this cancer becomes invasive or spreads beyond the original site, the disease is known as lentigo maligna melanoma.

How and where it grows: This form of melanoma is similar to the superficial spreading type, growing close to the skin surface at first. The tumor typically arises on sun-damaged skin on the face, ears, arms or upper torso.

What it looks like: It may look like a flat or slightly raised, blotchy patch with uneven borders. Color is usually blue-black, but can vary from tan to brown or dark brown.

Acral lentiginous melanoma

What you should know: This is the most common form of melanoma found in people of color, including individuals of African ancestry.

Where Do These Numbers Come From

The American Cancer Society relies on information from the SEER* database, maintained by the National Cancer Institute , to provide survival statistics for different types of cancer.

The SEER database tracks 5-year relative survival rates for melanoma skin cancer in the United States, based on how far the cancer has spread. The SEER database, however, does not group cancers by AJCC TNM stages . Instead, it groups cancers into localized, regional, and distant stages:

• Localized: There is no sign that the cancer has spread beyond the skin where it started.
• Regional: The cancer has spread beyond the skin where it started to nearby structures or lymph nodes.
• Distant: The cancer has spread to distant parts of the body, such as the lungs, liver, or skin on other parts of the body.

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Why Not To Leave Skin Cancer Untreated

Skin cancer has two sides. On the one hand, it is fairly easy to detect and treat when done so at an early stage. On the other hand, when left untreated, skin cancer can cause disfigurement and even death. This is the dark side of skin cancer. Find out the sobering consequences of allowing skin cancer to develop into later stages.

Who Gets This Form Of Skin Cancer

Melanoma can run in the family. It usually affects white people living in areas with strong sunlight exposure over a lifetime. If you get sunburn and freckles easily, this is a clue that your skin is sensitive to sunlight. Also, people who use sunscreen can also be affected because most sunscreen block only UVB radiation but not the UVA radiation. Exposure to either of these two type of ultraviolet radiation can increase your risk.

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