Skin Cancer Symptoms and Warning Signs
More than 70 percent of melanomas begin in or near an existing mole or dark spot on the skin which is why it's important to know the size, color, and location of moles on your body. Some birthmarks can also turn into melanomas. Melanomas have an irregular appearance and are usually larger than an ordinary mole.
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A parent or sibling who has been diagnosed with melanoma increases your risk of getting melanoma. Additional factors, such as blistering sunburns, light eyes, and fair skin and freckling skin further increase your risk.
Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer. Melanoma begins in the pigment cells that produce skin color. Most melanomas can be treated successfully if detected early. If melanoma is not detected at an early stage, it spreads to other parts of the body and becomes lethal.
Some early warning signs to look for (think ABCD).
- Asymmetry - One half doesn't match the other half.
- Border irregularity - Edges are blurred, ragged, and notched.
- Color - Pigmentation is not uniform. Shades of tan, brown or black are present. Dashes of red, white, and blue add to the mottled appearance.
- Diameter - While melanomas are usually greater than 6mm in diameter when diagnosed, they can be smaller.
Some types of melanoma are:
Congenital Nevus
May be giant or small, and may be present at birth or shortly after birth, may occur anywhere on the body. Giant congenital nevus is rare occurring in about 1 of 20,000 births with a lifetime risk of malignant transformation of 2 to 40 percent. Small congenital nevus occurs in 1 of 100 births and lifetime risk of malignant transformation is not known.Lentigo Maligna (Hutchinsons Freckle)
Flat pigmented lesion which gradually enlarges, light tan to dark brown or black with irregular notched borders usually located on the face, neck, or arms of the elderly. Begins as malignant melanoma in-situ and may take 5 to 50 years to become invasive. Usually occurs in 7th decade, accounts for 5 percent of malignant melanoma, three times more common in females.Superficial Spreading Malignant Melanoma
Slightly raised lesion with an irregular border and variable, unevenly distributed pigmentation with shades of red, blue, brown, purple, and black which may be found anywhere on the body but usually on the upper back of men and women and the lower extremities of females. This is the most common of malignant melanomas. With early diagnosis, the 5-year survival rate approaches 95%. It has a long phase of horizontal growth prior to vertical growth and metastasis and usually occurs in 5th decade, and is equally common in men and women.Acral Lentiginous Malignant Melanoma
In the beginning, the lesion is flat with irregular margins and pigmentation, the lesion rapidly becomes raised and nodular. Soles, palms of hands, nail beds, and oral mucosa are usual locations with early vertical growth and rapid metastasis and may occur in Asian and African Americans; accounts for 5 to 10 percent of malignant melanomas.Nodular Malignant Melanoma
Lesion is raised, nodular, and sometimes ulcerated. Borders are irregular and color variegated. Occasionally the tumor has no apparent visible pigmentation and may occur on any part of the body, but most commonly on legs and trunk. Does not seem to have a horizontal growth phase, usually grows vertically quickly with metastasis. It is twice as common in men and usually occurs in the 5th decade.
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