Melanoma


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What is Melanoma?

Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer that develops in cells called melanocytes. These cells produce melanin, the pigment that gives color to your skin.

Malignant melanoma includes several subtypes; cutaneous melanoma is the most common type, while ocular melanoma occurs in the eye and is rare. While the exact cause is not confirmed, sun exposure and tanning beds are major melanoma risk factors and risk factors that raise the risk of melanoma. Knowing these and other risk factors can help with preventing melanoma efforts and lower the chance of developing melanoma or skin cancer.

Common symptoms of melanoma include a change in an existing mole or the development of a new, unusual-looking growth. People over 50 have a higher incidence, although anyone can develop melanoma. To help identify a suspicious skin lesion, think of the letters ABCDE, especially when it looks different from the surrounding skin.

  • Asymmetry: Asymmetry means the lesion is not balanced.
  • Border: Border changes include irregular, notched, or blurred edges.
  • Color: Color may be non-consistent, with shades of brown, black, and other colors.
  • Diameter: Diameter is typically larger than 6 millimeters.
  • Evolution: Changes that occur to a mole over time, including size, color, or shape.

Additional warning signs include itching, pain, bleeding, ulceration, unusual spots, or a sore that does not heal. Regular broad-spectrum sunscreen use and limiting UV exposure help prevent melanoma. Prompt evaluation by a dermatologist, ideally a board-certified dermatologist, is recommended for any suspicious or changing spot.

Melanoma FAQs

Can a dermatologist tell if a mole is cancerous just by looking at it?

The only way to be 100% sure a mole is cancerous is to have a biopsy and microscopic evaluation.

Can a melanoma appear overnight?

No. There are certain kinds of melanoma that can appear over months, but not overnight.

Can chemo cure melanoma?

We have many new treatments for advanced melanoma.

Can melanoma be caused by stress?

No.

Can melanoma be picked up in blood tests?

Not yet. We use biopsy to diagnose melanoma.

Do you need chemo for melanoma?

Chemotherapy is used less often for melanoma and only once its spread beyond just the skin. Other treatments are tried before chemo is considered an option.

Does vitamin D prevent melanoma?

There is some evidence that low vitamin D levels can predispose some people to many kinds of cancer, but it isnt the only factor in developing melanoma.

How do you know if a mole is suspicious?

We teach people to look for the ABCDEs: asymmetry, irregular borders, changing or dark colors, diameter larger than a pencil eraser, and if it is evolving (changing). A dermatologist can determine if it is suspicious with clinical and dermatoscopic evaluation.

How do you know if a spot is skin cancer?

If you have a suspicious lesion, you should have a skin examination by a dermatologist to determine if you have skin cancer.

Is melanoma flat or raised?

Melanoma can be flat or raised.

Is Stage 1 melanoma considered cancer?

Yes.

Should you see an oncologist for melanoma?

It depends on the stage of the melanoma. For thin, early melanomas, we often excise the melanoma and follow the patients with regular skin exams for life.

What does a melanoma spot look like?

We teach people to look for the ABCDEs: asymmetry, irregular borders, changing or dark colors, diameter larger than a pencil eraser, and if it is evolving (changing). A dermatologist can determine if it is suspicious with clinical and dermatoscopic evaluation.

What is the most common treatment for melanoma?

Excision is the standard of care for melanoma.

When should you get moles checked?

If you have multiple moles, you should have a skin examination annually with your dermatologist.

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Melanoma Treatment Options

The ideal treatment for your melanoma will depend on the melanoma diagnosis, the melanoma stage, and your overall health, not just the size of the lesion; staging uses the TNM system to classify the cancer.

Melanoma treatment is increasingly personalized and may include immunotherapy, surgery, and other therapies based on whether the disease is primary melanoma, advanced melanoma, or metastatic melanoma. Some of the most common treatments include:

Treatment for Small Melanomas

For early-stage or small melanomas, treatment typically includes minor surgery. This will involve removing the melanoma, as well as a border of normal skin. This will be examined under a microscope to ensure that all cancer cells have been removed.

Treatment for Melanomas that Have Spread

For melanoma that has spread beyond the skin, treating melanoma may include care for when melanoma spreads to other parts of the body, including distant lymph nodes, which is metastatic cancer that forms a metastatic tumor; advanced disease is managed differently from earlier melanoma treated at the skin only:

  • Immunotherapy: This is a drug treatment that helps the immune system fight cancer, with immune checkpoint inhibitors as a main example. Some options for melanoma patients work by activating immune cells and are often needed after surgery for disease that has spread to other areas.

Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocyte therapy is a personalized option that enhances a patient’s own immune cells to fight cancer.

  • Surgery to remove affected lymph nodes: Your surgeon may use a lymph node biopsy for staging and, when appropriate, a sentinel lymph node biopsy, also called a sentinel node biopsy, to check the sentinel node before broader surgery is considered. If nodes are involved, lymph node dissection may still be used selectively to manage regional disease or reduce lymph node field relapse risk.
  • Targeted therapies: These drug treatments concentrate on specific weaknesses that are present within cancer cells. By targeting these weaknesses, cancer cells can die.
  • Radiation therapy: During this treatment, strong energy beams such as X-rays and protons are used to kill cancer cells.
  • Chemotherapy: This treatment involves using drugs to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy can be given in pill form, intravenously, or both.

Melanoma Treatment Recovery

If you have been diagnosed with melanoma or have any of the melanoma symptoms listed above, it is important to see a dermatologist to have your skin assessed and a treatment plan created. Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer, so it is important to diagnose and treat it as early as possible for the best results.

Contact Us Today

To learn more about melanoma and melanoma treatment options, contact our office today by calling 979-543-9933! Our team will be happy to assist you in scheduling your initial consultation, as well as answer any questions regarding treatment that you may have.