Metastatic Malignant Melanoma: The Best Prevention Is Early Detection
Metastatic malignant melanoma is the most dangerous type of skin cancer. Melanoma itself means a cancer of the melanocytes, or the skin cells that produce a pigment called melanin. Malignant means that the cancerous skin cells are growing and multiplying. Metastatic means that the cancerous cells have spread from the original site to some non-adjacent organ or tissue. While this type of cancer is the least common of those that affect the skin, it is certainly the most serious and has the poorest prognosis.
Metastatic Malignant Melanoma: The Risk Factors And Causes Of Melanoma
Even medical doctors and scientists are unsure of the exact causes of this cancer. While some causes are obvious, some melanomas seem to break the rules and appear when and where they are least expected. It does follow genetic predispositions. In addition, people who have fair skin, who burn easily in the sun, who live closer to the equator or who have a large number of moles have a higher chance of acquiring this disease. Of course, most everyone is aware that excessive amounts of ultraviolet radiation from the sun or from tanning bed lamps can irrevocably damage skin cells.
Malignant Metastatic Melanoma Symptoms You Must Know
Some types of melanoma occur without warning or without any outward signs. The names for these are hidden melanomas and they are often discovered when they are in an advanced stage. However, melanomas generally follow a pattern of skin changes. Oftentimes, these changes occur to previously normal moles; occasionally, a new skin lesion will appear. Remembering the first five letters of the alphabet can arm one with the tools he needs to notice any skin changes early. A is for asymmetry, which means that the two halves of the mole are not mirror images of each other. B is for borders with irregular shapes. C is for color. Color may change in a variety of ways. The color of the mole may begin to spread into the surrounding skin or the mole itself may be composed of more than one color. D is for a mole diameter that is larger than a quarter of an inch. Finally, E is for any type of evolution or change in a mole.
The Most Effective Metastatic Malignant Melanoma Treatment
Melanomas in the early stages are fairly easy to treat with a simple surgical removal of the affected skin cells being all that is usually needed. However, the metastatic malignant melanoma prognosis depends entirely on how soon the cancer is caught. Cancers caught early are more easily treated. Melanomas often metastasize into the lymph nodes and ducts. Once this happens, treatment becomes very difficult. The doctor may recommend surgery to remove any affected lymph nodes. Chemotherapy or radiation treatment may be used separately or in combination with surgery. Immunotherapy is another option that uses substances that the body naturally produces to boost the fighting power of the immune system.
Malignant melanoma metastatic is a dangerous type of cancer because it usually spreads to the lymphatic system. People should be aware that excessive ultraviolet radiation exposure is the top cause of this cancer today and should do their utmost to protect their skin from it. In addition, being educated on the objective symptoms of metastatic malignant melanoma can help an individual catch the cancer early before it has spread at all and can significantly improve his chance of a cure.
