May 27, 2021 | Your skin makes up about 16 percent of your body weight. This translates into roughly 1.6 trillion skin cells covering your body. On a single inch of your skin, you have some 650 sweat glands, 20 blood vessels, at least a thousand nerve endings and 60,000 melanocytes, the things that make melanin and give your skin its color. Melanoma is a cancer that begins in the melanocytes. Melanomas can develop anywhere on the skin, but they are more likely to start on the chest and back in men and on the legs in women. The neck and face are other common sites. Having darkly pigmented skin lowers your risk of melanoma, but anyone can get it on the palms of the hands, soles of the feet and under the nails. The rates of melanoma have been rising rapidly over the past few decades, according to the American Cancer Society, which estimates that 106,110 new cases will be diagnosed this year, with over 7,000 people expected to die from the disease.

May 27, 2021 | Melanoma is a malignant tumor that originates in melanocytes, the cells which produce the pigment melanin that colors our skin, hair, and eyes. The majority of melanomas are black or brown but some are skin-colored, red, purple blue or white. Everyone is at risk for melanoma. Caucasians are more likely to be diagnosed with melanoma than other races, although certain individuals are at higher risk than others. For example, you have a substantially increased risk of developing melanoma if you have more than 50 moles or if you have some that are large or unusually shaped. Caucasians who have fair skin are more of a risk than a Caucasian who has olive skin while redheads and blondes have a higher risk of developing the disease. Your chances increase significantly if you’ve already had a melanoma, but also if you have had basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma, the more common forms of skin cancer.

May 27, 2021 | If you notice a mole on your skin, you should follow the ABCDE rule, which outlines the warning signs of melanoma. A is for Asymmetry, if one half of a mole does not match the other half. B is for Border irregularity, if the edges are ragged, notched, or blurred. C is for Color. A number of different shades of brown, tan or black could appear. A melanoma may also become red, blue or some other color. D is for Diameter. Melanomas usually are larger in diameter than the size of the eraser on your pencil, but they may sometimes be smaller when first detected. And E is for Evolving. Any change — in size, shape, color, elevation or any new symptom such as bleeding, itching or crusting — points to danger. The American Academy of Dermatology urges everyone to examine their skin regularly. If you notice a mole that is different from others, or that itches or bleeds even if it is smaller than 6 millimeters, see a dermatologist as soon as possible.

May 27, 2021 | When treating melanoma, the best method is surgical removal of the tumor. Most excisions are done in a doctor’s office or as an outpatient procedure with local anesthesia. When caught early, surgical removal shows a cure rate of approximately 95 percent. Even patients with more advanced cases should have hope as the cure rate continues to rise. A course of therapy is largely determined by the thickness of the primary tumor and stage of the cancer, as every stage requires different treatment. In the earlier stages, surgery is used to remove the primary tumor and determine if all cancerous cells have been removed. Once the melanoma has spread to distant organs, surgery cannot cure the cancer but surgery may be performed if it is believed that one or more tumors can be completely removed or that surgery can bring some relief from symptoms. In more advanced cases, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radiation therapy may be used.

May 27, 2021 | The best way to prevent melanoma is to limit your exposure to the sun. To do this, avoid the strong midday sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. When you are outside, try to spend your time in shaded areas as much as possible. And wear a wide-brimmed hat, a long-sleeved shirt and long pants if you are going to be out in the sun for an extended period of time. Be sure to use a sunscreen with a sun protection factor, or SPF, of at least 15. Apply the sunscreen 30 minutes before you go outside and put it on again every 2 to 3 hours, especially after sweating and swimming. Do not use tanning beds and be sure to wear sunglasses that are rated to block at least 99 percent of UVA sunlight, as melanomas can also occur in the back of the eye. Children are at risk because sunburns in childhood are the most damaging. Children younger than 6 months of age should never be outside in direct sunshine while children 6 months of age or older should wear sunscreen every day.