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Melanoma: causes, symptoms, stages and diagnosis

Melanoma is a type of cancer that affects the melanocytes. Melanocytes, in turn, are the skin cells responsible for its color.

Melanoma is prone to rapid spreading of metastasis, which contributes to serious complications, leading to death. Only in America each year reveal about 50 000 new patients with melanoma.

Diagnosis usually timely, as patients themselves are turning to the doctor with symptoms. After all, to identify melanoma is easy, it is located on exposed parts of the body. The sooner the tumor is diagnosed, the better the chance for recovery.

The content of the article:


Statistics of the disease

In America and in Australia, skin cancer occupies the first position among all cancers. In other countries this pathology is in the top three among varieties of cancer, however, melanoma most often leads to the death of patients.

It is established that every 60 minutes in the world dies from melanoma 1 patient. In 2013 it was 77 000 patients with melanoma. Killing 9500 patients. The share of melanoma accounts for only 2.3% if we take cancer as a whole, but if you consider the deaths from skin cancer because melanoma, the percentage is 75%.

In addition to skin melanoma is capable of hitting the eye, the scalp, the mucous membranes of the mouth. The person's age and gender on the incidence of the disease has no effect. Found that Caucasians have a 2% risk of developing melanoma, the Europeans, 0.5%, and Africans of 0.1%.


Causes of melanoma

  • The negative effects of sunlight. Melanoma develops as a result of contact with the skin of ultraviolet rays. It concerns a sunburn, not only sun but in the tanning bed. Particularly high risk of developing melanoma, if the person stayed in the sun for a long time in childhood. The risk group includes people of Australia, Florida, Hawaii, since there the sun is overly active.

    Sunburns increase the risk of developing melanoma in 2 times, and the Solarium these risks adjusted to a value of 75%. Anyequipment to create sun Agency of the who that studies cancer disease referred to as "factors of increased risk of skin cancer". In addition, equipment located in the rooms of the Solarium, as cancer-causing devices.

  • The presence of atypical moles that rise above the skin and have an asymmetrical shape, increase the risk of developing this type of cancer. Also, the more moles on the human body (and no matter what type it is), the higher the risk of developing the disease.
  • The lighter the hair and eyes of the person, the higher the risk of developing it melanoma.
  • If such a disease existed in history, the risk of its reoccurrence increases.

  • A disturbance in the functioning of the immune system. Among the factors that increase the risk of melanoma: HIV, AIDS, transplantation of organs, undergo chemotherapy, etc.

One should not exclude the factor of heredity. On average, every 10 patient diagnosed with melanoma have a close relative with the same disease. Burdened (risk approaching 50%) is considered as a family history if melanoma was at my parents, sisters, brothers and children.


Types of melanoma

There are 4 types of melanoma. While 3 of them are gradual growth with a lesion of the superficial skin layers, and one type has a tendency to rapid progression, growing into the deeper layers of the skin and affects the internal organs.

  • Melanoma superficial or superficially. Most often patients diagnosed with this type of disease. The frequency of occurrence is equal to 70%. For a long time the tumor is benign and is localized in the surface layer of the skin. After a long time without any treatment, the melanoma grows deeper. The first symptom of a tumor of this type is the presence of flat steel spot with uneven borders. While its color may vary-black, white, red, brown, blue. Often, these melanomas appear in the place where is located the mole. In men it most often occurs on the trunk, in women on the lower limbs. On the back of this melanoma can occur with equal frequency in both sexes.
  • Lentigo malignant. This education for a long period of time is within the upper layers of the skin, has a flat, slightly raised shape, and uneven color. Most often this spot is speckled with brown patches. Mostly this kind of tumor occurs in the elderly in those areas of the body throughout lifemore than others were exposed to the sun. This is the face, hands, torso, ears. Malignant lentigo affects residents of Hawaii. When this type of melanoma grows, the disease is called lentigo-melanoma.
  • Melanoma nodal. Often, upon detection of such tumors, it is already sprouted in the deep layers of the skin. This melanoma resembles a lump of black or other color. Often there is a tumor on the lower and upper limbs or on the body. The incidence of about 15%.
  • Melanoma acrolina lentiginosa. First is on the surface, germinates without treatment into the deeper layers of skin tissue. Might appear below the nails, on the soles and palms, has the appearance of black or brown spots. The disease progresses quickly compared to the malignant lentigo and superficial melanoma. This files most often diagnosed in people with darker skin (Asians and Africans), less common in Europeans and Caucasians.

Symptoms of melanoma

Melanoma sometimes is formed from the moles, and sometimes occurs in healthy parts of the skin, or in the background of other skin diseases. The tumor most often appears on the lower limbs and upper back. The vast majority of cases, it has a dark color, as damaged cells produce melanin, however, there may be colorless and education.

It is not excluded the appearance of the tumor on the palms, the nails, mucous membranes. In old age education are often localized on the face and neck, ears and scalp.

Symptoms of melanoma are the following:

Early symptoms of melanoma

If an existing mole or birthmark had changed color and shape, become more delivers discomfort, it could be a sign of melanoma. Moreover, the changes often occur over a long period of time.

Sometimes the tumor is mistaken for a new mole, but to alert the man needs her sloppy appearance. All these changes are worrying symptoms and should be cause for referral to a specialist.

Early symptoms of melanoma are the following:

  • Bleeding education.
  • The occurrence of burning sensation.
  • The growth of flat moles up.
  • The emergence of itching, pitting of education.
  • Softening of moles.
  • The presence of any discharge in the location of moles.
  • The growth of moles on the periphery.
  • Swelling nextlocated tissue.
  • Change the color of the tissues close to the existing moles.

Late symptoms of melanoma

Among the symptoms indicating the progression of the disease:

  • Damage to the skin with the violation of their integrity.
  • Discharge of blood from education.
  • Discharge of blood from other pigmented areas on the skin.
  • The presence of pain.

Symptoms that indicate the occurrence of metastases

Metastasis means that the tumor cells entered the bloodstream and spread to other organs:

  • The coughing of a chronic nature.

  • The appearance of the dense phase under the skin.
  • The acquisition by a skin of grey shade.

  • Headaches on a regular basis.

  • Convulsions.

  • Weight loss, until exhaustion.
  • Swollen lymph nodes.

Urgent appeal for medical assistance require the following condition:

  • Bleeding from a mole or from a pigmented area;

  • Asymmetry of a mole;

  • Change the color of the nails, in the absence of prior injury;

  • Darkening of the skin from the sun;

  • The appearance of skin with uneven edges;

  • The appearance of colored moles, or the spread of pigment from the mole on next located tissue;

  • The diameter of the mole or birthmark more than 0.6 cm

Stages of melanoma

Modern classification distinguishes several stages of melanoma, depending on its thickness, presence of ulceration and rate of division of diseased cells.

Tumor thickness or the thickness of Berclau the index, which is measured in millimeters. Measure the melanoma from the top layer of the skin and to the deep points of growth. The thinner the tumor, the higher the chance for recovery. That is the thickness of Berlou are a basis, the projection on survival and to assess the effect of the therapy.

The first and second stage

Limited to melanoma, metastasesno, the effectiveness of timely treatment is assessed as high, the risk of recurrence is minimal.

To distinguish the following of the tumor, depending on their thickness:

  • The tumor is in place or "in situ". This zero stage, the tumor has not penetrated into the deeper layers of the epidermis.
  • Tumor less 0.1 cm thin melanoma. This is the first stage of the disease.
  • The tumor is 0.1 cm0.4 cm. This thickness indicates the transition of melanoma to the second stage.
  • Tumor more 0.4 cm – thick melanoma.

If the formation contains small ulceration, indicates a higher degree of severity of the disease. To predict is the value of an indicator such as the rate of cell division of melanoma cells. If 1 mm squared will be recorded at least a single case of dividing cancer cells, this indicates higher risk of metastasis and early transition of the disease into severe stage. In this case, it is necessary to conduct an aggressive treatment to save the patient's life. The first two stages are characterized by the absence of any subjective sensations, the tumor just grows in width and in height.

The third stage melanoma

At the transition of the disease in this stage, the thickness of Berlou ceases to have value. In this case, the fore ulceration of the tumor.

Melanoma grows in depth and captures the lymph nodes and surrounding skin. About the beginning of the third stage indicates the output of the tumor in the original boundaries. To confirm existing assumptions, a biopsy of the lymph nodes located in the vicinity of melanoma. In addition, a biopsy is carried out in the presence of areas of ulceration on the tumor and if you increase it more than 0.1 cm. The third stage is characterized by soreness and other late symptoms.

Stage IV melanoma

At this stage of the disease the tumor metastasizes. In the pathological process may involve lungs, liver, bones, brain, digestive tract. The prognosis for recovery is poor, survival is less than 10%. As for symptoms, they depend on which organ is involved in the pathological process, in addition to skin.


Looks like a melanoma?


Diagnosis of melanoma

Diagnosis of melanoma is challenging and cancause difficulty even for skilled dermatologists with experience. The symptoms appear not always bright, so the very patients should be particularly attentive to any entities appearing on their skin and inform your doctor about this. Special vigilance should be exercised for those people whose relatives suffered a similar pathology. After an inspection for suspicious growths, your doctor may send patient for a skin biopsy and a biopsy of the lymph nodes. To put the exact diagnosis can only be based on the data of histological examination.

The earlier the disease is detected, the greater the chance that the patient's life would be saved. Doctors strongly recommend every month to inspect your own skin to detect any skin changes. Thus special devices a person is not required, quite large and a small mirror, bright light source, a pair of chairs and Hairdryer.

  • To assess the condition of the skin of the scalp, it is convenient to use a Hairdryer. The head and face browsing with the use of a pair of mirrors.
  • It is important to evaluate the condition of nails and hands, inspect the blades, armpits, shoulders.
  • Women have to pay attention to the skin under the Breasts.
  • Next you should inspect the neck, torso and Breasts.
  • Do not forget about the legs, including the knees and feet.
  • A small mirror will allow you to assess the condition of the skin of the genitals.

If was discovered any education, it is necessary to compare them with previous photos.


The prognosis of the disease

As for the forecast for recovery, it depends on at what stage of development the disease is. If melanoma is detected early, the prognosis is favorable.

The risk of recurrence of the disease there in that case, when the melanoma grows deep. If the depth is more than 0.4 cm, or already have inflammation in the lymph node, the risk of penetration of metastasis to other organs is extremely high. The presence of secondary foci of infection makes therapeutic regimen ineffective.

When a person has been diagnosed with melanoma, and he successfully underwent treatment, it is extremely important to conduct an independent examination, since the risk of recurrence of the disease in this case is extremely high. This can occur even several years after recovery.

In the first stage of recovery it is likely, moreover, to get rid of a possible melanoma patients and at the second stage of the disease.

If to consider statistics as a percentage, the five-year survival rate of patientsas follows:

  • Therapy the first stage – 95% of patients with five-year survival, 88% of patients with ten-year survival.
  • Therapy the second stage, 79% of patients with five-year survival, 64% of patients with ten-year survival.
  • Therapy the third stage – 29%-69% (data range) patients with five-year survival, 15% of patients with ten-year survival.
  • Therapy stage IV – 7%-19% of patients with five-year survival. As for the ten year survival of patients with melanoma stage 4, such data do not exist.

If the tumor is thick, if discovered metastases to nearby tissue if melanoma is prone to ulceration, the likelihood of disease is high. It is important to understand that secondary melanoma can appear as next to last of the pathological education and away from him.

Although melanoma – the disease is very dangerous, almost always it is early diagnosis and early treatment leads to complete recovery of the patient and ensures long-term survival.