If melanoma is not diagnosed until an advanced stage, treatment is mainly used to slow the spread of the cancer and reduce symptoms. If melanoma is diagnosed and treated at an early stage, surgery is usually successful. The main treatment for melanoma is surgery, although your treatment will depend on your circumstances. You may also have a test to check if melanoma has spread to your lymph glands (nodes). But in cases of melanoma, the whole thing is usually removed from the beginning. This is known as a biopsy.Ī biopsy usually involves removing a small sample of tissue. In most cases, a suspicious mole will be surgically removed and closely examined to see whether it's cancerous. They'll refer you to a specialist clinic or hospital if they think you have melanoma. See a GP if you notice any change to your moles. More than 2,300 people die every year in the UK from melanoma. This is thought to be the result of increased exposure to intense sunlight while on holiday abroad. Over recent years, skin cancer has become much more common in the UK. More than 1 in 4 skin cancer cases are diagnosed in people under 50, which is unusually early compared with most other types of cancer. Around 16,000 new cases of melanoma are diagnosed each year. Melanoma skin cancer is the 5th most common cancer in the UK. a close family member who's had melanoma.For example, while on holiday, which leads to sunburn.Ĭertain things can increase your chance of developing melanoma, such as having: The type of sun exposure that causes melanoma is sudden intense exposure. Melanoma is caused by skin cells that begin to develop abnormally.Įxposure to ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun is thought to cause most melanomas, but there's evidence to suggest that some may result from sunbed exposure. Amelanotic melanomaĪmelanotic melanomas have little or no colour, but may occasionally be pink or red, or have light brown or grey edges.Ĭancer Research UK has more information about the different types of melanoma. They can also sometimes develop around a nail, most commonly the thumbnail or big toenail.Īcral lentiginous melanomas are the most common type of melanoma in people with dark skin, but they can happen in people with any skin colour. Acral lentiginous melanomaĪcral lentiginous melanomas are a rare type of melanoma that usually grow on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. They can gradually get bigger and may change shape.Īt a later stage, they may grow downwards into the deeper layers of skin and can form lumps (nodules). They look like a freckle, but they're usually larger, darker and stand out more than a normal freckle. To start with, lentigo maligna melanomas are flat and develop sideways in the surface layers of skin. They develop slowly over several years and appear in areas that are often exposed to the sun, such as the face. This is to show the surgeon the area they need to remove.Lentigo maligna melanomas most commonly affect older people, particularly those who have spent a lot of time outdoors. The blue markings in this picture below outline the area where the melanoma is. The second picture from each example is a close up of the melanoma.Įxample 1 - Picture of a melanoma from a new, dark lesion on the skinĮxample 2 - Picture of melanoma that may or may not have developed from a mole Melanoma that has developed from a changing area of the skin with an irregular shape and colour The first picture in each example is taken from a distance. The following 2 examples contain 2 pictures. This means an area of skin that looks different from the surrounding area. Melanoma that has developed from a suspicious dark mole Suspicious irritated mole found not to be melanoma Melanoma from a mole that was once an even colour and shape but has now changed Melanoma from a mole with changing shape and colour Melanoma that has developed from a long standing mole that is starting to spread A new change to an area of skin (lesion) that was abnormal and turned out to be melanomaĭoctors sometimes use the term lesion to describe a finding on the skin. If you’re worried about any moles or skin changes, it is always important to get them checked by your GP. Without further tests, it's not possible to work out what is a melanoma or not.
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