Causes, risk factors, diagnosis and treatment of nodular malignant melanoma skin cancer.

Causes, risk factors, diagnosis and treatment of nodular malignant melanoma skin cancer.
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What is Nodular Malignant Melanoma?

Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer. If it is detected and treated in the early stages, it can be cured. This cancer is caused by damaged melanocyte cells growing uncontrollably. These cells are responsible for the pigment in skin, hair and eyes.

Nodular malignant melanoma is one of four types of melanoma skin cancer and although it only makes up 15% of all melanoma diagnoses, it is the most aggressive of all the types of skin cancer.

Causes of Nodular Malignant Melanoma

The leading cause of this type of melanoma is exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which comes from sunlight and tanning beds. Experts also believe that the environment and genetics may contribute to damaged melanocytes.

Risk Factors

There are many risk factors of nodular malignant melanoma. The most common are:

  • Severe, peeling sunburns
  • Fair skin
  • Family history
  • More than 50 moles
  • One mole that has irregular borders, unusual coloring or is larger than 1/5 of an inch
  • Living at a high altitude or close to the equator
  • Weakened immune system

Symptoms

Melanoma can appear anywhere on the body, but are most commonly seen on the face, back, legs and arms because these areas receive more exposure to the sun. There have been rare cases where melanoma was discovered in the eyes and the internal organs.

Symptoms of all types of melanoma include a change in the color, size, feel or shape of a mole or the growth a new skin, which may appear to resemble a scar or scab.

With nodular malignant melanoma, there are certain features within the symptoms that distinguish it from other types of melanoma.

  • The affected mole or growth will typically be dark brown to black, but can sometimes be lightly pigmented as well.

  • The cancerous growth might not have an easily distinguishable phase of development.

  • Rather than developing from a mole that was already on the body, nodular malignant melanoma will appear where there was no mole before.

Diagnosis

To be accurately diagnosed with this type of melanoma, the patient must have a biopsy. During a biopsy, the mole or growth is cut out along with the underlying tissue and sent to a laboratory to be analyzed.

Treatment

The treatment of nodular malignant melanoma will depend on where it is located, how advanced the cancer is, the general health of the patient and whether the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes or blood vessels. Most likely, surgery will be scheduled to cut out the affected area. If the lymph nodes are affected by melanoma, then they will also have to be removed. Some patients may also need radiation therapy, chemotherapy or immunotherapy.

When to See a Doctor

Any new growth on the skin or changes in an existing mole should always be checked out by a dermatologist.

References

Skin Care Physicians: Four Types of Melanoma - www.skincarephysicians.com

Mayo Clinic: Melanoma - www.mayoclinic.com