by Caryn Anderson

Created on: December 30, 2009

Malignant melanoma is a type of skin cancer which occurs in your skin’s color-producing cells (melanocytes). It starts on the surface of your skin, where it can be easily detected. If left untreated, however, melanoma can grow into your skin’s layers, spread throughout your body and has the potential to be fatal.

There are some cases of melanoma with no known origin. However, doctors and researchers have been able to identify some specific risk factors that increase your likelihood of developing the condition. Risk factors include excessive sun exposure; ultraviolet radiation exposure (from indoor tanning) and a history of severe sunburns early in life can all contribute to causing melanoma. Most people have approximately 30 moles or fewer on their body. If you have 50 or more moles, moles with irregularities or family members who have had melanoma, you are at an increased risk. Researchers have found a genetic link which places blood relatives of malignant melanoma patients at an increased risk of developing the disease.

Wondering what you should be looking for?  Regularly examining your skin is a great practice. As you examine spots on your skin, watch for the ABCDE’s of skin cancer. If you have malignant melanoma, the spot on your skin will have the following five characteristics. Asymmetry (one half is different that the other); Border (irregular borders); Color (varies from tan to black, red and even blue); Diameter (most melanomas are bigger than the size of a pencil eraser at the time of diagnosis) and Evolving (an area which changes color, shape or size).

Early detection will ensure the best possible prognosis. Typical treatment involves surgical removal of both the melanoma and surrounding skin. The surrounding skin is taken to ensure that there are no traces of the cancer left.  If the melanoma is only in the outer layer of your skin (melanoma in situ), removing the affected skin provides a nearly 100 percent rate of curing the cancer. However, if the melanoma has spread, your doctor will need a biopsy of your lymph nodes (where it usually spreads first) and determine further treatment based on the results.

Protection is the number one means of prevention! Protect yourself and your family by using sunscreen, regularly examining your skin, monitoring any existing moles and visiting a dermatologist yearly for an examination. If you have a recurrence in another area, you want to be sure to catch it early.

American Academy of Dermatology:

http://www.aad.org/public/publications/pamphlets/sun _malignant.html

Skin Cancer Foundation:

http://www.skincancer.org/Melanoma/

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