Malignant melanoma, Causes, Risks and Symptoms

OF ALL THE TYPES OF SKIN CANCER, MALIGNANT MELANOMA IS THE MOST SERIOUS. MALIGNANT MELANOMA HAS BECOME A MORE COMMON CANCER SESSION WITH GETTING AND KEEPING A TAN.

Malignant melanoma may typically begin as a new growth on normal skin or may develop from an existing, mole Left untreated cancer can spread rapidly to other parts of the body and may be fatal.

As with most other skin cancers, exposure to the sun or ultraviolet light and the use of sunbeds are risk factors, and fan-skinned people are most at risk. Malignant melanoma is most common between the ages of 14 and 60, increasingly common in young adults and more common in women but may rarely occur in the eyes, intestines, or mouth.  

Worldwide, the number of cases of malignant melanoma, particularly in young adults, has increased dramatically over the past 20 years. This rise is probably due to the growing popularity of outdoor activities, however, the condition is still most common in people aged 40-60, In the UK, there are about 5,000 new cases each year, out of a total of 10,000 new cases for all types of skin cancer,

WHAT IS THE CAUSE?

Malignant melanoma is thought to result from damage to melanocytes (the skin cells that produce the pigment melanin) by sunlight cancer occurs more frequently in people with fair skin than in those with dark skin, people who continually expose themselves to intense sunlight or who live in sunny climates are at greater risk of developing cancer. Severe sunburn in childhood has been shown to double the chance of developing malignant melanoma in later life. Reducing exposure to the sun can help decrease the risk: of developing any type of skin cancer.

WHAT ARE THE RISKS?

If caught early, most cases of skin cancer can be treated successfully through surgery, a high sun protection factor sunscreen, and a hat to help reduce sun damage to the skin, although some can prove fatal. Skin cancers have increased by 7 percent in (fair-skinned people worldwide over the last 20 years.

A person’s risk of developing skin cancer is increased by several factors, including

• Having fan skin

• Having skin that has a tendency towards freckling

• Having many moles

• A family history of Malignant melanoma

• Having had one or more attacks of stern sunburn during childhood

• Being the age of more than 30 years

• Experience many years of exposure to strong sunlight.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?

Malignant melanomas can develop on any part of the body but appear most commonly in sun-exposed areas. Some melanomas spread across the skin in irregular fat patches, and others appear as last-growing lumps. In older people, they may occur on the face as freckle Ike spots, known as lentigo maligna, that grow slowly over many years. If they are not removed, all of these types of melanoma will grow down into the underlying layers of the skin. This type of skin cancer is the most dangerous due to its ability to spread to other organs very quickly if it is not treated at an early stage. Malignant melanomas may become life-threatening very quickly as little as six weeks.

TREATMENT OF MALIGNANT MELANOMAS

Contact your doctor for the treatment of malignant melanomas. However, early-stage treatment is surgery to remove melanoma. A bleak or thin omen can be removed completely during the biopsy process and need extra treatment. Or else, a surgeon will get rid of the cancer as well as a border of normal skin and a layer of tissue under the skin.