Conditions That Mimic Melanoma To The Naked Eye Scary
What Are The Stages Of Melanoma
Cancerstaging is how doctors describe the extent of cancer in your body. Staging is defined by the characteristics of the original melanomatumor and if/how far it has spread in your body.
Melanoma is divided into stages using five Roman numerals and up to four letters that indicate a higher risk within each stage. The stage is determined mostly by specific details about the tumor and its growth that are tallied in a system called TNM. Read more about the TNM system.
Your stage is important because cancer treatment options and prognoses are determined by stage.
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The Most Common Cancers
Casey Gallagher, MD, is board-certified in dermatology and works as a practicing dermatologist and clinical professor.
Nonmelanoma skin cancers are a group of cancers that develop in the upper layers of the skin. They include several different types of skin cancer, but the two most common are squamous cell skin cancer and basal cell carcinoma.
Most nonmelanoma skin cancers are easily treatable, especially when caught early, but some are more dangerous. For most people, skin cancers are relatively preventable.
Inherited syndromes and other illnesses can increase the risk of getting these skin cancers, but excess exposure to UV light from the sun or tanning beds is the leading cause for otherwise healthy patients. Explore the major groups of nonmelanoma skin cancers.
Verywell / Laura Porter
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Types Of Melanoma In Dogs
The different types and locations of melanoma in dogs include:
- Cutaneous Melanoma: appears on the skin
- Ocular Melanoma: found on a dogs eyelids or directly on the eye
- Oral Melanoma: appears anywhere around the mouth or oral cavity
- Subungual Melanoma: found in between the toes and the toenail bed
Melanomas are categorized as either benign or malignant. Benign melanomas are typically harmless with a very low risk of spreading, or metastasizing, to other parts of the body.
Malignant melanomas, however, can metastasize very quickly, spreading to other parts of a dogs body, particularly the lungs, liver, and lymph nodes. For this reason, malignant melanomas in dogs present a dire health risk.
How Are Moles Evaluated
If you find a mole or spot that has any ABCDE’s of melanoma — or one that’s tender, itching, oozing, scaly, doesn’t heal or has redness or swelling beyond the mole — see a doctor. Your doctor may want to remove a tissue sample from the mole and biopsy it. If found to be cancerous, the entire mole and a rim of normal skin around it will be removed and the wound stitched closed. Additional treatment may be needed.
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Facts & Stats For Melanoma In Skin Of Color:
- Melanoma incidence rates vary by racial group:
- African-American 1 per 100,000
- Asian/Pacific Islander 1.6 per 100,000
- Hispanic 4.9 per 100,000
- Indian/Alaskan Native 7 per 100,000
- Non-Hispanic White 37 per 100,0004
How Is Melanoma Treated
Your melanoma treatment will depend on the stage of the melanoma and your general health.
Surgery is usually the main treatment for melanoma. The procedure involves cutting out the cancer and some of the normal skin surrounding it. The amount of healthy skin removed will depend on the size and location of the skin cancer. Typically, surgical excision of melanoma can be performed under local anesthesia in the dermatologists office. More advanced cases may require other types of treatment in addition to or instead of surgery.
Treatments for melanoma:
- Melanoma Surgery: In the early stages, surgery has a high probability of being able to cure your melanoma. Usually performed in an office, a dermatologist numbs the skin with a local anesthetic and removes the melanoma and margins .
- Lymphadenectomy: In cases where melanoma has spread, removal of the lymph nodes near the primary diagnosis site may be required. This can prevent the spread to other areas of your body.
- Metastasectomy: Metastasectomy is used to remove small melanoma bits from organs.
- Targeted cancer therapy: In this treatment option, drugs are used to attack specific cancer cells. This targeted approach goes after cancer cells, leaving healthy cells untouched.
- Radiation Therapy: Radiation therapy includes treatments with high-energy rays to attack cancer cells and shrink tumors.
- Immunotherapy: immunotherapy stimulates your own immune system to help fight the cancer.
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What Is A Basal Cell
One of three main types of cells in the top layer of the skin, basal cells shed as new ones form. BCC most often occurs when DNA damage from exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun or indoor tanning triggers changes in basal cells in the outermost layer of skin , resulting in uncontrolled growth.
The 5 Stages Of Nail Melanoma
Nail melanoma is a life-threatening skin cancer that grows to affect the nails, usually the big toe and thumb. This disease can prove to be very deadly, however treatments are readily available if diagnosed early.
This disease is often referred to as, Malignant Melanoma of Nail Unit or Nail Unit Melanoma.
- The pigment producing cells of the body, called Melanocytes, is where the Melanoma cancer develops. The Melanocytes are responsible for giving our skin its color.
- The development of Melanoma cancer, usually begins from a finger or toenail, however thats not always the case.
- It has the tendency to affect the areas around such as the sides of nail or the nail bed. In fact, it may also spread to other parts of the body, if not treated on time.
- The big toe or thumb is usually the first to get affected, however it may vary according to each case.
- The Nail Unit Melanoma is divided into 3 main types:
- Nail Melanoma is most common in light/fair skinned people as opposed to dark skinned people.
There are 5 stages of Nail Melanoma, stated as follows
Stage 1: aka Stage O Melanoma
This stage is also referred to as Melanoma in situ, meaning site of origination of Melanoma. At this point, a tumor has formed on the outermost layer of the skin, epidermis.
Stage 2: aka Stage I Melanoma
This stage is further categorized into two:
Stage IA: At this stage, the tumor is less than a mm deep and has no signs of an ulcer.
Stage 3: aka Stage II Melanoma
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Possible Signs And Symptoms Of Melanoma
The most important warning sign of melanoma is a new spot on the skin or a spot that is changing in size, shape, or color.
Another important sign is a spot that looks different from all of the other spots on your skin .
If you have one of these warning signs, have your skin checked by a doctor.
The ABCDE rule is another guide to the usual signs of melanoma. Be on the lookout and tell your doctor about spots that have any of the following features:
- A is for Asymmetry: One half of a mole or birthmark does not match the other.
- B is for Border:The edges are irregular, ragged, notched, or blurred.
- C is for Color:The color is not the same all over and may include different shades of brown or black, or sometimes with patches of pink, red, white, or blue.
- D is for Diameter:The spot is larger than 6 millimeters across , although melanomas can sometimes be smaller than this.
- E is for Evolving: The mole is changing in size, shape, or color.
Some melanomas dont fit these rules. Its important to tell your doctor about any changes or new spots on the skin, or growths that look different from the rest of your moles.
Other warning signs are:
- A sore that doesnt heal
- Spread of pigment from the border of a spot into surrounding skin
- Redness or a new swelling beyond the border of the mole
- Change in sensation, such as itchiness, tenderness, or pain
- Change in the surface of a mole scaliness, oozing, bleeding, or the appearance of a lump or bump
How Can You Tell If A Mole Is Dangerous
Use the ABCDE rule to look for some of the common signs of melanoma, one of the deadliest forms of skin cancer:
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What Are The Symptoms Of Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer
Nonmelanoma skin cancer often develops in areas exposed to the sun, such as the head, face, neck, arms, and hands. But it can start anywhere on the body. It may appear as a new growth. Or it may occur as a change in the size or in the color of a growth you already have. These changes can happen slowly or quickly.
Here are some possible signs of nonmelanoma skin cancer:
- A small, raised bump that is shiny or pearly
- A small, flat spot that is scaly, irregularly shaped, and pale, pink, or red
- Sores that don’t heal
- A growth with raised edges, a lower area in the center, and brown, blue, or black areas
- A wart-like growth that might bleed or crust over
- Scaly patches or bumps that are often red or purple and itch
Many of these may be caused by other health problems. But it is important to see a healthcare provider if you have these symptoms. Only a healthcare provider can tell if you have cancer.
What Is Skin Cancer
Skin cancer is the abnormal and uncontrolled growth of cells in the skin. Skin cancer usually arises on skin exposed to the sun, such as the face, lips, ears, scalp, neck, chest, arms and hands and on the legs especially in women. Though more common in lighter skin tones, skin cancer affects people of all skin tones.
There are three major types of skin cancer:
Each type of skin cancer has a different pathology and presentation.
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What Are The Treatments For Metastatic Melanoma
Historically, metastatic and recurrent melanoma have been poorly responsive to chemotherapy. Immunotherapy, in which the bodys own immune system is energized to fight the tumor, has been a focus of research for decades. A variety of newer medications target different points in the pathways of melanoma cell growth and spread. While the most appropriate use of these medications is still being defined, the best treatment for melanoma remains complete surgical excision while it is still small, thin, and has not yet had a chance to spread.
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How Can You Tell If A Spot Is Melanoma See Your Doctor
If you are concerned about a mole or mark on your skin and have not had it examined by a doctor, the only safe thing to do is to make a doctors appointment and have it checked out.
Your doctor may inform you that you should just keep an eye on it and report back if you notice any changes.
In this case, you can ask your doctor whether tracking the lesion and the rest of your skin with photos is something they would recommend.
Mole Mapping Guide
Find out how Mole mapping can be a helpful solution for the early detection of skin cancer.
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What Is Nodular Melanoma
All forms of melanoma occur when the melanocytes in your skin reproduce too fast and cause tumors to form. Melanocytes are the cells responsible for giving your skin its color.
In nodular melanoma, a bump, or nodule, will form on your skin. If not detected and treated early, the cancerous cells can spread into your skin and then to other parts of your body.
Nodular melanoma grows faster than other forms of melanoma, making it the most aggressive type of skin cancer.
How Can You Make A Difference In The Fight Against Melanoma
Jackie was diagnosed with melanoma at the age of 22.
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Update On New Melanoma Vaccine Trials
BACKGROUND: Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer. It begins in skin cells called melanocytes, the cells that produce the color of our skin. The first sign of melanoma is often a change in the size, shape, or color of a mole. However, melanoma can also appear on the body as a new mole. According to the American Cancer Society, there were 68,700 news cases of melanoma in 2009 and more than 8,500 deaths.
In men, melanoma most often shows up on the upper body, between the shoulders and hips and on the head and neck. In women, it often develops on the lower legs. In dark-skinned people, melanoma often appears under the fingernails or toenails, on the palms of hands or on the soles of the feet. Although these are the most common places for melanomas to appear, they can appear anywhere on the skin including inside the oral cavity.
What Does A Normal Vs An Abnormal Mole Look Like
Normal moles are usually round or oval and smaller than a pencil eraser. They are one consistent color , with a clear border. Most people have less than 50 moles. You can be born with moles, develop them with age or even have some disappear.
Cancerous, or malignant, moles may vary greatly in appearance. To help identify moles that might indicate melanoma, think of the letters A-B-C-D-E:
- A | Asymmetry: Mole is an irregular shape, such as if one side looks different than the other
- B | Border: Mole has irregular, ragged, notched or scalloped borders
- C | Color: Mole has more than one color or uneven shading
- D | Diameter: Mole is bigger than a pencil eraser
- E | Evolution: Mole changes in some way
Talk to your doctor, if you notice any skin changes that seem unusual.
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How Can You Prevent Nodular Melanoma
Nodular melanoma can happen to anyone, but taking certain precautions may help lower your risk of this type of cancer:
- Use sunscreen. Apply a broad spectrum sunscreen with a sun-protective factor of 30 or higher whenever youre outside, even in the winter.
- Reapply sunscreen often. Reapply your sunscreen every 2 hours, especially if youre swimming or sweating.
- Protect your lips. Protect your lips with SPF lip products.
- Stay out of the sun. Avoid direct sun exposure between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. every day. Seek shade and protection from the sun when possible.
- Cover your skin. Wear sun-protective clothing, wide-brimmed hats, sunglasses, long-sleeve shirts, and long pants when outside to protect your skin from the suns harmful UV rays.
- Avoid tanning beds. Tanning beds and indoor tanning booths are also dangerous sources of UV radiation. Its best to avoid them.
than other types of melanoma. It becomes more difficult to treat once it has spread beyond the initial area where it developed.
According to research, the 5-year survival rate for nodular melanoma is 51.67 percent . However, statistics show that if any type of melanoma is found, diagnosed, and treated before it begins to spread, the 5-year survival rate is much higher, between 95 and 100 percent.
When Should I Call My Doctor
You should have a skin examination by a doctor if you have any of the following:
- A personal history of skin cancer or atypical moles .
- A family history of skin cancer.
- A history of intense sun exposure as a young person and painful or blistering sunburns.
- New or numerous large moles.
- A mole that changes in size, color or shape.
- Any mole that itches, bleeds or is tender.
A note from Cleveland Clinic
Receiving a diagnosis of melanoma can be scary. Watch your skin and moles for any changes and seeing your doctor regularly for skin examinations, especially if youre fair-skinned, will give you the best chances for catching melanoma early when its most treatable.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 06/21/2021.
References
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