Melanoma is a skin disease where cancerous cells grow in the melanocytes, the cells that generate skin color. Melanoma is either known as malignant melanoma or cutaneous melanoma. Of all types of skin cancer plaguing mankind, melanoma is considered the most serious. The epidermis, or the topmost layer of the skin, contains three types of cells liable to become cancerous. Those are squamous cells, basal cells and melanocytes. Squamous cell cancer and basal cell cancer are known as non-melanoma skin cancers. They are more widespread than melanoma. Melanoma, which is relatively less common than the other two, is indubitably more serious and complicated to treat than either squamous cell cancer or basal cell cancer.
Nodular melanoma is the most serious and life threatening form of skin cancer, constituting around 35 of all thick melanoma cases. In comparison, the most general form of melanoma, the superficial spreading melanoma, is regularly diagnosed in its infancy and characteristically is a thin melanoma. The dissimilarity between thick and thin melanomas is quite straightforward. Thin melanomas have a tendency to spread out over the top of the skin surface. Thick melanomas, on the other hand, are more penetrating and grow deeper into the skin. Commonly, nodular melanoma is already invasive upon first diagnosis. This form of cancer is normally seen on arms, legs and upper torso of an elderly person.
Causes of this cancer are mutations or the total loss of tumor suppressing genes. Melanoma is also caused by the regular use of sun beds. These beds are known to permit deep penetration of UV rays. Doctors diagnose melanoma by examining suspicious moles, irregular in color or shape. After a visual examination, a dermatoscopic examination is conducted. It helps to illuminate the moles, revealing the underlying pigment and vascular network structure. This helps to confirm the presence of melanoma. It is advisable for the diagnosis to be performed by an experienced specialist. The early stages melonama look identical to harmless moles.
Malignant melanoma is an accelerated, metastatic type of skin cancer that originates in the cells of the epidermis. In this disorder, pigment-producing cells called melanocytes become cancerous, grow, and multiply at a devastating rate. Although melanoma is the least common type of skin cancer, it is the most serious form of skin cancer. Melanoma may be cured, if caught and treated early, but it is rarely curable in its later stages. Melanoma skin cancer cells are more likely than non-melanoma skin cancer cells to spread or metastasize. This means that they break away from the original tumor, travel through the blood or lymphatic vessels, and then grow within other parts of the body.
Melanoma treatment is surgery. Here the tumor is removed and so also is a tiny region from the skin which is normal. In the beginning stage just a biopsy can cure melanoma. After a surgery a skin grafting is done if necessary to cover the wounded part of the skin. After this melanoma treatment painkillers would be given in order to reduce the pain. It will take some time for the wound to cure and the skin grafting to look normal as any other part of the skin. Radiotherapy is also a fine method of melanoma treatment. Here x-rays are used in order to destroy cells that cause cancer. This method is opted when the cancer is in the inner portion of the body. This is a long melanoma treatment might stretch up to many weeks.
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