For this reason, people should check their skin regularly for any signs of change, such as a new mole or a change in the appearance of an existing mole. If a person suspects that a mole may be cancerous, it is important for them to see their dermatologist for a diagnosis. The Melanoma Research Foundation list some symptoms that people should be aware of. These include:. This rule describes five simple characteristics of early melanoma.
These features are:. The majority present as a new mole. People may be able to detect the early symptoms of a cancerous mole by using the ABCDE rule and regularly examining any new and existing moles. People should try to check all areas of their skin, including their back and other areas that may be difficult to see without assistance.
They can use a mirror or phone or ask a partner , family member, friend, or doctor to help with these areas. If a person has any worries or concerns about a mole, they should see a dermatologist, who can use microscopic or photographic tools to examine a mole in more detail. Other physicians may not have received the training necessary to identify abnormal moles, potentially leading to unnecessary biopsies and even potentially delaying care. A dermatologist is specially trained to identify abnormal moles and melanomas.
However, even with their years of training, this can sometimes be difficult. If a dermatologist suspects that a mole may be cancerous, they may perform a biopsy. This is a procedure wherein a healthcare professional takes a sample of a mole and sends it for examination in a laboratory. The treatment for a cancerous mole is typically the same as it is for other cancers. However, unlike cancers of the internal organs, it will be easier to access the cancerous tissue and remove the mole with surgery.
Therefore, surgery is often the main treatment option for most cancerous moles. The procedure typically involves removing the mole and some of the surrounding noncancerous tissue. In some cases, when a person has received an early diagnosis, surgery may be a sufficient remedy to treat the cancerous mole. If the mole covers a large area of skin, a skin graft may be necessary after the surgery.
Usually, a surgeon will perform the excision while a person is under local anesthetic. This means that a person will be awake during the procedure, but they will not feel any pain, as the surgeon will have numbed the affected area. The surgeon will send this sample of removed tissue to pathology to determine the extent of the involvement of the cancer. If there is any risk that the cancer has spread into other organs, bones, or blood, a doctor may perform further exams , such as a lymph node biopsy , radiologic studies, or both.
If the cancer has spread, a doctor will request treatments depending on where in the body it has spread to. These may include :. There is no sure way to prevent cancerous moles. C is for Color. Multiple colors are a warning sign. While benign moles are usually a single shade of brown, a melanoma may have different shades of brown, tan or black. As it grows, the colors red, white or blue may also appear.
D is for Diameter and Dark. Some experts say it is also important to look for any lesion, no matter what size, that is darker than others. Rare, amelanotic melanomas are colorless. E is for Evolving. Any change in size, shape, color or elevation of a spot on your skin, or any new symptom in it, such as bleeding, itching or crusting, may be a warning sign to see your doctor. When in doubt, check it out: Your dermatologist will determine whether your pigmented lesion is an atypical mole or a melanoma, and provide you with detailed information about next steps.
Atypical mole on lower back. Close-up of mole on right shows asymmetry, color variegation and border irregularity. Please note: Since not all atypical moles have the same appearance, these photos serve as a general reference for what they can look like. If you see something new, changing or unusual on your skin, schedule an appointment with your dermatologist. Scientists and researchers are still working on understanding what causes atypical moles.
The reason they develop is believed to be a combination of genetic and environmental factors. People with atypical mole syndrome are at especially high risk of developing melanoma. The syndrome is associated with the following three characteristics:.
If you have hereditary risk factors for melanoma as well as many atypical moles, you may be classified as having Familial Atypical Multiple Mole Melanoma Syndrome FAMMM , putting you at even greater risk for developing melanoma. If you have one or more atypical moles, talk to your dermatologist about an appropriate surveillance program and whether or not any moles need a biopsy to ensure they are not melanomas. The more abnormal features moles have, the riskier they are. Frequent monitoring of these moles is especially crucial, so that if a melanoma arises, it can be detected and treated as early as possible.
If your doctor identifies a mole as suspicious, or if new moles appear after age 40, you may need a biopsy. A dysplastic nevus may be bigger than a common mole, and its color, surface, and border may be different. It is usually more than 5 millimeters wide 1 , 3. A dysplastic nevus can have a mixture of several colors, from pink to dark brown. Usually, it is flat with a smooth, slightly scaly, or pebbly surface, and it has an irregular edge that may fade into the surrounding skin.
Some examples of dysplastic nevi are shown here. A dysplastic nevus may occur anywhere on the body, but it is usually seen in areas exposed to the sun, such as on the back.
A dysplastic nevus may also appear in areas not exposed to the sun, such as the scalp, breasts, and areas below the waist 1 , 3. Some people have only a couple of dysplastic nevi, but other people have more than People who have dysplastic nevi usually also have an increased number of common moles.
Yes, but most dysplastic nevi do not turn into melanoma 1 , 3. Most remain stable over time. Researchers estimate that the chance of melanoma is about ten times greater for someone with more than five dysplastic nevi than for someone who has none, and the more dysplastic nevi a person has, the greater the chance of developing melanoma 1 , 3.
Everyone should protect their skin from the sun and stay away from sunlamps and tanning booths, but for people who have dysplastic nevi, it is even more important to protect the skin and avoid getting a suntan or sunburn.
In addition, many doctors recommend that people with dysplastic nevi check their skin once a month 2 , 4. People should tell their doctor if they see any of the following changes in a dysplastic nevus 2 :. Another thing that people with dysplastic nevi should do is get their skin examined by a doctor 2 , 4. Sometimes people or their doctors take photographs of dysplastic nevi so changes over time are easier to see 2. For people with many more than five dysplastic nevi, doctors may conduct a skin exam once or twice a year because of the moderately increased chance of melanoma.
For people who also have a family history of melanoma, doctors may suggest a more frequent skin exam, such as every 3 to 6 months 3. Normally, people do not need to have a dysplastic nevus or common mole removed. One reason is that very few dysplastic nevi or common moles turn into melanoma 1 , 3. Another reason is that even removing all of the moles on the skin would not prevent the development of melanoma because melanoma can develop as a new colored area on the skin 2.
That is why doctors usually remove only a mole that changes or a new colored area on the skin. Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that begins in melanocytes. It is potentially dangerous because it can invade nearby tissues and spread to other parts of the body, such as the lung, liver, bone, or brain. The earlier that melanoma is detected and removed, the more likely that treatment will be successful. Most melanocytes are in the skin, and melanoma can occur on any skin surface. It can develop from a common mole or dysplastic nevus, and it can also develop in an area of apparently normal skin.
In addition, melanoma can also develop in the eye, the digestive tract, and other areas of the body. When melanoma develops in men, it is often found on the head, neck, or back. When melanoma develops in women, it is often found on the back or on the lower legs.
People with dark skin are much less likely than people with fair skin to develop melanoma. When it does develop in people with dark skin, it is often found under the fingernails, under the toenails, on the palms of the hands, or on the soles of the feet. Often the first sign of melanoma is a change in the shape, color, size, or feel of an existing mole.
Melanoma may also appear as a new colored area on the skin. Melanomas can vary greatly in how they look. Several photos of melanomas are shown here.
In advanced melanoma, the texture of the mole may change. The skin on the surface may break down and look scraped. It may become hard or lumpy. The surface may ooze or bleed. Sometimes the melanoma is itchy, tender, or painful. The only way to diagnose melanoma is to remove tissue and check it for cancer cells. The doctor will remove all or part of the skin that looks abnormal. Usually, this procedure takes only a few minutes and can be done in a doctor's office, clinic, or hospital.
The sample will be sent to a lab and a pathologist will look at the tissue under a microscope to check for melanoma. Common moles, dysplastic nevi, and melanoma vary by size, color, shape, and surface texture. The list below summarizes some differences between moles and cancer. Another important difference is that a common mole or dysplastic nevus will not return after it is removed by a full excisional biopsy from the skin, but melanoma sometimes grows back.
Also, melanoma can spread to other parts of the body. People should tell their doctor if they find a new mole or a change in an existing mole. A family doctor may refer people with an unusual mole or other concerns about their skin to a dermatologist. A dermatologist is a doctor who specializes in diseases of the skin. Also, some plastic surgeons, general surgeons, internists, cancer specialists, and family doctors have special training in moles and melanoma.
Although anyone can develop melanoma, people with the following risk factors have an increased chance of melanoma 1 :. Sunlight : Sunlight is a source of UV radiation , which causes skin damage that can lead to melanoma and other skin cancers.
Severe, blistering sunburns : People who have had at least one severe, blistering sunburn have an increased chance of melanoma. Although people who burn easily are more likely to have had sunburns as a child, sunburns during adulthood also increase the chance of melanoma.
Lifetime sun exposure : The greater the total amount of sun exposure over a lifetime, the greater the chance of melanoma. Tanning : Although having skin that tans well lowers the risk of sunburn, even people who tan well without sunburning increase their chance of melanoma by spending time in the sun without protection. Sunlight can be reflected by sand, water, snow, ice, and pavement. The sun's rays can get through clouds, windshields, windows, and light clothing. In the United States, skin cancer is more common where the sun is strong.
For example, a larger proportion of people in Texas than Minnesota get skin cancer. Also, the sun is strong at higher elevations, such as in the mountains. Sunlamps and tanning booths : UV radiation from artificial sources, such as sunlamps and tanning booths, can cause skin damage and melanoma. Health care providers strongly encourage people, especially young people, to avoid using sunlamps and tanning booths.
The risk of skin cancer is greatly increased by using sunlamps and tanning booths before age Personal history : People who have had melanoma have an increased risk of developing other melanomas. Family histor y: Melanoma sometimes runs in families. People who have two or more close relatives mother, father, sister, brother, or child with melanoma have an increased chance of melanoma. In rare cases, members of a family will have an inherited disorder, such as xeroderma pigmentosum , that makes the skin extremely sensitive to the sun and greatly increases the chance of melanoma.
Skin that burns easily : People who have fair pale skin that burns easily in the sun, blue or gray eyes, red or blond hair, or many freckles have an increased chance of melanoma.
People can protect their skin from the sun by following the tips on NCI's Sunlight risk factor page. The best way to prevent melanoma is to limit exposure to sunlight. Having a suntan or sunburn means that the skin has been damaged by the sun, and continued tanning or burning increases the chance of developing melanoma.
Menu Contact Dictionary Search. Understanding Cancer. What Is Cancer? Cancer Statistics. Cancer Disparities. Cancer Causes and Prevention.
Risk Factors. Cancer Prevention Overview. Cancer Screening Overview. Screening Tests. Diagnosis and Staging. Questions to Ask about Your Diagnosis. Types of Cancer Treatment. Side Effects of Cancer Treatment. Clinical Trials Information. A to Z List of Cancer Drugs. Questions to Ask about Your Treatment. Feelings and Cancer. Adjusting to Cancer.
Day-to-Day Life. Support for Caregivers. Questions to Ask About Cancer.
0コメント