GOOD NEWS BAD NEWS IN MELANOMA SKIN CANCER AND HOW TO SCREEN FOR AND PROTECT FROM SKIN CANCER
Different Forms of Skin Cancer The ABCDE Screening Method and Avoiding Ultraviolet Rays
Not all skin cancer is melanoma but melanoma is the most dangerous of skin cancers. Melanoma is a form of skin cancer that begins in melanocytes, cells that make the pigment melanin. Melanoma rates have risen 50% among young women in the U.S. since 1980, a trend that may be related to an increase in the use of tanning salons and exposure to the sun's damaging rays, according to a report in a medical journal. The report in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology analyzed more than 20,000 cases of melanoma in people between the ages of 15 and 39 that were reported to the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program, a large database maintained by the National Cancer Institute.
"Researchers found some good news in the report. Overall deaths from melanoma in young adults decreased, a fact that Mark Purdue, a research fellow at the National Cancer Institute and lead author of the report, attributed to earlier detection of cancer, when the disease is in a more curable stage. Purdue said people can reduce their general risk of developing melanoma by avoiding sun exposure when the sun's rays are strongest, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.; wearing protective clothing and a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or greater; and not actively seeking a tan in the sun or a salon".
Not all skin cancer is melanoma but melanoma is the most dangerous of skin cancers melanoma is form of skin cancer that begins in melanocytes, cells that make the pigment melanin. Actually melanoma can appear elsewhere even in the eye or under the toenails. Melanoma cancer may begin in a mole, but can also begin in other pigmented tissues, such as in the eye or in the intestines. Melanocytes are cells that produce melanin, the pigment that gives skin its natural color. When skin is exposed to the sun, melanocytes produce more pigment, causing the skin to tan, or darken. Moles that have certain features need to be aggressively examined for melanoma.
"The recent increase in incidence among young women parallels reported trends in exposure to ultra violet rays, the primary environmental cause of melanoma. The prevalence of sunburn is increasing among US adult men and women overall, although trends by age group have not been reported. Among adolescents aged 16–18 years, both the prevalence of sunburn and the average number of days spent at the beach increased between sun surveys conducted in 1998 and 2004. Tanning bed usage, which has been recently evaluated as a probable cause of melanoma (International Agency for Research on Cancer, 2007),is increasing among US adults and is most prevalent among young women".
What is the relationship between a mole and melanoma?
Sometimes, clusters of melanocytes and surrounding tissue form noncancerous growths called moles. Doctors also call a mole a nevus, the plural is nevi. Melanoma can occur on any skin surface. In men, melanoma is often found on the trunk(the area between the shoulders and the hips) or the head and neck. In women, it often develops on the lower legs. Even children can develop melanoma as you can see when you watch the video about melanoma and a child with melanoma who got treated in time and made a full recovery. People can also have melanoma under the fingernails or toenails or on the palms or soles of the feet. Melanoma may also occur in the eye.
A Video Story about a Child with Melanoma and What to Look For Click the Arrow to Start
What is the ABCDE Screening Method for Melanoma?
The ABCDE method to screen for melanoma simply means that a mole that meets any of these criteria should be examined by a physician. It is hard even for doctors sometimes to look at a skin lesion and determine if it is cancerous. Actually I would recommend you ask your physician at even the slightest suspicion. It's better to be safe than sorry. The melanoma screening method includes:
If the doctor suspects that a spot on the skin is melanoma, the person will need to have a biopsy. A biopsy is the only way to make a definite diagnosis of melanoma. In this procedure, the doctor tries to remove all of the suspicious-looking growth. This is an excisional biopsy. A pathologist then examines the tissue under a microscope to check for cancer cells. Sometimes it is helpful for more than one pathologist to check the tissue for cancer cells.
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