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... Tumours can be either benign or malignant. ...
A malignant tumour consists of cancer cells which have the ability to spread beyond the original site. ...
Doctors can tell whether a tumour is benign or malignant by examining a small sample of cells under a microscope. ...
Malignant melanoma is one of many types of skin cancer. ...
What is malignant melanoma?
Malignant melanoma is a cancer which usually starts in the skin, either in moles or normal-looking skin.
Although the number of people who develop melanoma is rising, it is still an uncommon type of cancer.
There are four main types of malignant melanoma which occur in the skin:
Superficial spreading melanoma-this is the most common type.
Nodular melanoma-this can grow more quickly
Lentigo maligna melanoma-this type of melanoma is most commonly found on the face, particularly in older people. It grows slowly and may take several years to develop
Acral melanoma- this is usually found on the palms of the hands, soles of the feet or around the toenails
Other rare types of melanoma include amelanotic melanoma (in which the melanoma loses its pigment and appears as a white area) and desmoplastic melanoma (which contains fibrous scar tissue).
Although melanoma can affect most parts of the body, the commonest site in women is on the legs, while in men it is more common on the trunk, particularly the back
Although melanoma can affect the skin on any part of the body, the commonest place in women is on the legs, while in men it is more common on the trunk, particularly the back.
Malignant melanoma can start in parts of the body other than the skin but this is very rare. The parts of the body that may be affected are the eye, the mouth, under the fingernails (known as ungual melanoma) the vulval or vaginal tissues, or internally. Melanoma of the eye is known as ocular melanoma and
What causes malignant melanoma?
Ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun damage the skin and can cause malignant melanoma. ...
Malignant melanoma is very rare in childhood, but children and young adults who are overexposed to the sun and suffer severe burning or blistering, are at risk of developing melanoma in later life. ...
As more and more people take sunshine holidays abroad the number of people developing malignant melanoma and other skin cancers is rising. ...
The use of sunbeds (which give off artificial UV radiation) may increase the risk of developing malignant melanoma, even if they are used occasionally throughout the year to maintain a tan. ...
Rarely, melanoma may develop in people who have not been exposed to excessive sunlight. ... Less than 2% of people with melanoma have a relative who is also affected. If a member of your family has melanoma and you are worried, you can talk to your GP who can reassure you and refer you to a family cancer clinic if necessary. People who have lots of abnormal moles (known as dysplastic naevus syndrome) have a higher risk of developing melanoma.
Research studies have looked at whether the contraceptive pill can play a part in causing melanoma and they have found that use of the pill does not seem to be a cause. However, some studies seem to show that taking the pill for longer than 10 years may slightly increase the risk of developing melanoma.
It is recommended that women with melanoma avoid becoming pregnant for two years after the diagnosis, as this is the most likely time for it to recur.
What are the symptoms of malignant melanoma? ... If a melanoma develops from a mole any or all of the following changes may occur:
Change in size -- the mole may become more lumpy or spread outwards over the skin. ...
Change in shape -- most moles have a smooth, regular outline but a melanoma is more likely to have an irregular, ragged edge. ...
Very few ordinary moles become malignant melanomas but it is best to discuss any changes with your doctor, as the sooner the disease is discovered, the more successful the treatment. ...
In many cases, the specialist will be able to see by examining the mole whether it is benign or malignant but if there is any doubt, they may suggest an excision biopsy. This means that the mole will be removed, using a local anaesthetic, and examined under the microscope to see if the cells are malignant. If the cells are malignant then further surgery will usually be carried out to ensure that all the melanoma cells in the area have been removed. ... This is necessary to ensure that no melanoma cells have been left behind. ...
Staging of malignant melanoma
The `stage of a cancer is a term used to describe whether it has spread beyond its original site. Malignant melanoma is generally divided into four stages from melanoma just in the surface layers of the skin (stage one) to melanoma that has spread to other parts of the body (stage four). ... Once a melanoma has been removed the doctors need to find out how deep it is. Knowing the depth helps the doctors to decide on the most appropriate treatment, and can give an idea of whether the melanoma may spread or come back in the future
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There are several systems which can be used to assess the depth of a melanoma. ...
The thinner the melanoma, the better the chance of a complete cure. ... Most people who are diagnosed with malignant melanoma in Britain will have a thickness of less than 2mm. In these people the complete removal of the melanoma is likely to cure it and further investigations or treatment will not usually be necessary. The chance of the melanoma coming back increases with the increasing thickness of the initial tumour in the skin.
Malignant melanoma cells can sometimes spread to the lymph glands close to the site of the melanoma. This is unlikely to happen if the melanoma is less than 1mm in depth. If the melanoma cells go more than 1mm into the skin though, some specialist hospitals may do a test during the surgery to try and find out whether the melanoma cells have spread to the lymph nodes. ...
Sentinel node biopsy
A tiny amount of radioactive liquid is injected around the area of the melanoma before it is removed and then the nodes are scanned to see which one has first taken up the radioactive liquid. A blue dye is also injected into the area of the melanoma during the operation to remove it. ... The surgeon removes only the first lymph node that the fluid goes into (the sentinel node), so that it can be tested to see whether it contains melanoma cells.
If the sentinel node contains melanoma cells then all the lymph glands in the area may be removed -- this is known as a bloc dissection. ...
If the sentinel node does not contain melanoma cells it is very unlikely that the other lymph nodes in the area have been affected by the melanoma and no further treatment is usually needed. ...
After your operation
Although most people with thin melanomas are cured by simply having the mole removed, a small number of people will later develop another melanoma.
Approximate Word count = 5984
Approximate Pages = 23.9
(250 words per page double spaced)
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