What you should know: This is the most aggressive type of melanoma. It accounts for 10 to 15 percent of all cases. How and where it grows: The tumor grows deeper into the skin more rapidly than other types and is most frequently found on the torso, legs and arms, as well as the scalp in older men. It is usually invasive at the time it is first diagnosed. What it looks like: Nodular melanoma is often recognized as a bump on the skin, usually blue-black in color, but not uncommonly can also appear as a pink to red bump.
Reviewed by: Allan C. Halpern, MD Ashfaq A. Want to spread the word about skin cancer awareness? Complete the form and you may end up on our website. Melanoma Overview. A Dangerous Skin Cancer. What is a melanocyte? What does melanoma look like? How dangerous is melanoma? How widespread is melanoma? What are the four main types of melanoma of the skin? Risk Factors. Warning Signs. About Melanin Naturally darker-skinned people have more eumelanin and naturally fair-skinned people have more pheomelanin.
The estimated five-year survival rate for U. An estimated 7, people 4, men and 2, women will die of melanoma in the U. An estimated , cases of melanoma will be diagnosed in the U. A doctor, checking for advanced melanoma, may be the first person to detect this symptom of stage 4 melanoma. However, because stage 4 melanoma is diagnosed once the melanoma has spread to distant lymph nodes or to other organs, the size of the tumor varies from person to person.
Additionally, treatment may shrink the tumor, but the cancer can still metastasize. Some skin cancer tumors develop an ulceration, or a break in the skin. This opening can begin as early as stage 1 melanoma and can continue into more advanced stages. If you have stage 4 melanoma, your skin tumor may or may not be broken and bleeding. According to the American Cancer Society , melanomas that have ulcerations indicate a lower survival rate. When melanoma advances to stage 3, it means the tumor has spread to the lymph nodes or the skin around the primary tumor and lymph nodes.
In stage 4, the cancer has moved to other areas far beyond the lymph nodes, like your internal organs. The most common places melanoma spreads to are the:. These growths will cause different symptoms, depending on which areas it has spread to. For example, you may feel breathless or constantly cough if the cancer has spread to your lungs. Sometimes the symptoms for stage 4 melanoma may not appear for many years after the original tumor was removed.
The good news is that even stage 4 melanoma can be treated. The sooner the cancer is found, the sooner it can be removed — and the higher your chances are for recovery. Stage 4 melanoma also has the most treatment options, but these options depend on:. How you respond to treatment also affects your treatment options. The five standard treatments for melanoma are:. Other treatments may also depend on where the cancer has spread to. Your doctor will discuss your options with you to help map out a treatment plan.
Each trial will have its own criteria. Some require people who have not yet received treatment while others test for new ways to reduce cancer side effects. Once the cancer spreads, locating and treating the cancerous cells becomes more and more difficult.
You and your doctor can develop a plan that balances your needs. The treatment should make you comfortable, but it should also seek to remove or slow cancer growth. The expected rate for deaths related to melanoma is 10, people per year. Stage 0 melanoma is also called melanoma in situ.
This means that your body has some abnormal melanocytes. Melanocytes are the cells that produce melanin, which is the substance that adds pigment to the skin. Melanoma in situ may look like a small mole. Even though they may appear harmless, any new or suspicious-looking marks on your skin should be evaluated by a dermatologist.
In stage , the tumor is up to 2 mm thick. It may or may be ulcerated, which indicates whether the tumor has broken through the skin.
The cancer has not spread to nearby lymph nodes or to distant parts of the body. For stage 0 and stage 1, surgery is the main treatment. For stage 1, a sentinel node biopsy may be recommended in some cases. Stage 2 melanoma means the tumor is more than 1 mm thick and may be larger or have grown deeper into the skin. It may be ulcerated or not ulcerated. Surgery to remove the cancerous tumor is the usual treatment strategy.
At this point, the tumor may be smaller or larger. In stage 3 melanoma, the cancer has spread to the lymph system. It has not spread to distant parts of the body.
Surgery to remove cancerous tissue and lymph nodes is possible. Radiation therapy and treatment with other powerful medications are also common stage 3 treatments. Stage 4 melanoma means the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, such as the lungs, brain, or other organs and tissue. It may have also spread to lymph nodes that are a good distance from the original tumor. Stage 4 melanoma is often hard to cure with current treatments.
Surgery, radiation, immunotherapy, targeted therapy and chemotherapy are options for treating stage 4 melanoma. A clinical trial may also be recommended. The 5-year survival rates for melanoma, according to the American Cancer Society are:. In its early stages, melanoma is a treatable condition. But the cancer must be identified and treated swiftly. If you ever see a new mole or a suspicious mark on your skin, promptly have a dermatologist evaluate it.
0コメント