Melanoma: Symptoms, Causes & Treatments

 Melanoma: Symptoms, Causes & Treatments

What Is Melanoma?

Melanoma originates from melanocytes, the cells responsible for pigment in our skin. Though less common than basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma, melanoma accounts for most skin cancer, related deaths due to its aggressive nature and potential to spread quickly.(Medical News Today, SELF)

Types of Melanoma

1. Superficial Spreading Melanoma: the most prevalent (70%), often appearing on the skin’s top layer as an irregular patch or mole. MD Anderson Cancer Center
2. Nodular Melanoma: accounts for 15–30%, grows vertically into the skin, and is often more dangerous due to rapid progression. Wikipedia
3. Lentigo Maligna Melanoma: often seen in older adults on sun-exposed areas like the face or arms; grows slowly.
4. Acral Lentiginous Melanoma: rare, but the most common form in darker-skinned individuals; appears on palms, soles, or under nails.

Symptoms and Early Detection

Early detection dramatically boosts chances of successful treatment. Key warning signs include:

• A mole that changes shape, size, or color, or one that bleeds, becomes itchy, or develops irregular borders.(Mayo Clinic, Skin Cancer Specialists, moffitt)
• The ABCDE rule helps identify suspicious lesions:
• Asymmetry
• Border irregularity
• Color variation
• Diameter over 6 mm
• Evolving features over time(Cleveland Clinic)
• “Ugly duckling” sign, any lesion that looks noticeably different from your others.
• Early melanoma may also manifest as scaly patches, sores that don’t heal, or new bumps.
• Advanced or metastatic melanoma symptoms are more systemic, such as bone pain, headaches, memory issues, seizures, or nausea if the disease spreads to bones or brain.(City of Hope Cancer Treatment Centers)

What Causes Melanoma?

Melanoma risk stems from interconnected environmental and genetic factors:

1. UV exposure from the sun or tanning beds causes DNA damage in skin cells, UV exposure accounts for about 90% of cases.
2. Skin type: fair skin, red or blonde hair, and blue or green eyes increase vulnerability.
3. Genetic predispositions, such as mutations in genes like CDKN2A, BRAF, or MC1R, elevate melanoma risk and can run in families.
4. Repeated sunburns, even just five in a lifetime, can double melanoma risk.

Treatment Options by Stage

1. Surgery (Primary Treatment); The most effective early-stage intervention. In many cases, the melanoma is removed during biopsy. Otherwise, wide excision of the lesion with surrounding healthy tissue is done. If the melanoma has spread, surgery may include removing nearby lymph nodes.(Mayo Clinic)

2. Radiation Therapy: Used when surgery isn’t enough or to control symptoms in metastatic disease, especially when melanoma has spread to the brain or bones.(UCSF Health, balancedhc.org)

3. Medical Therapies

• Immunotherapies (e.g., checkpoint inhibitors) help stimulate the immune system to target cancer: increasingly used in advanced cases.
• Targeted therapies (e.g., BRAF and MEK inhibitors) are effective in melanomas with specific mutations.(Wikipedia)
• Chemotherapy is now less common but still has a role when other treatments fail.(balancedhc.org)
• Newer cell therapies, like lifileucel (AMTAGVI), a tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) treatment, are emerging options for advanced, treatment-resistant melanoma.(Wikipedia)

Prognosis & Importance of Early Detection

1. Survival rates vary by stage:

• Localized melanoma: 5-year survival over 99%
• Regional spread: 74%
• Distant metastasis: 35%(Medical News Today)

2. Stories underscore the urgency of acting early:

• A patient had a mole dismissed only to discover stage-zero melanoma; prompt Mohs surgery saved her life.
• Another underwent surgery and an immunotherapy trial after misidentifying his melanoma, now advocates diligence.

Prevention & Self-Care

• Sun-safe habits: use broad-spectrum SPF 30+ sunscreen, avoid peak UV hours, wear protective clothing, and never use tanning beds.(New York Post, Wikipedia, The Sun)
• Dermatologist consultations for suspicious lesions or those with high-risk factors.(Wikipedia, New York Post)

Conclusion

Melanoma is serious, but detectable and treatable, especially when caught early. By understanding its symptoms, knowing your risk factors, and staying proactive with prevention and screenings, you empower yourself and help others stay safe. Share this guide, link to trusted sources, and let’s raise awareness together.