It seems like every month is dedicated to awareness for some particular illness these days. Often, a month is dedicated to more than one disease, since there are many more diseases than there are months. May is the official month for melanoma awareness. Unlike many of the other diseases focused on in these monthly awareness campaigns, melanoma can be prevented if detected early enough.
What is melanoma?
Malignant melanoma is the most severe form of skin cancer.
While it is not the most common, it is the most likely to metastasize and result in death. If not detected early enough, the prognosis is bleak. “The median life expectancy in patients with advanced melanoma is less than one year.” If detected early enough, it can be removed and treated before it can cause damage in other parts of the body.
Though it can sometimes present in areas of the body that are not easily detectable, like “the eye, digestive tract, brain or spinal cord, or other areas where melanocytes (pigment forming cells) are found”, it is most often seen on the skin where it can be detected and treated early if proper screening and self exams are done.
Screening for melanoma
Melanoma can develop at the site of existing moles and can resemble moles, but this is not always the case. Though people with moles have a substantially higher risk of developing melanoma, the moles themselves are not the actual cause.
It is very important to have an annual full body skin check done by a dermatologist or other healthcare provider who specializes in skin cancer or diseases of the skin. A doctor will know exactly what to look for, and can check in areas that you cannot always access to check yourself. The doctor will document any existing benign moles or freckles at baseline, so any changes can be tracked at subsequent exams, and give you the necessary information on what to look for in self exams.
After the full body check is done by the doctor, it is then important to do your own self exams at home. Have someone you trust help you check areas that you cannot easily see. Don’t forget to check places like the scalp, between the fingers and toes, soles of the feet, and other easily missed areas.
When performing regular self exams for melanoma, it is very helpful to use the ABCDE checklist to help differentiate normal, benign moles or freckles from possible skin cancer lesions. According to Melanoma Research Foundation, the ABCDE checklist stands for Asymmetry, Border, Color, Diameter, and Evolution. I have seen the E also listed as Elevation, so I now refer to the checklist as ABCDEE:
- Asymmetry: regular moles and freckles are typically round and symmetrical. Malignant melanomas are irregularly shaped and asymmetrical.
- Border: Benign moles and freckles have borders that are smooth and well defined. Malignant lesions have borders that can appear and feel jagged, scalloped, or vague/blurry.
- Color: Noncancerous moles and freckles are most often a single shade of tan or brown. If you have a dark spot that has more than one color, or a variegation of colors such as blue, black, white, red or dark brown, it should definitely be checked out by a dermatologist.
- Diameter: Healthy moles and freckles should be no larger than a pencil eraser (6mm). Anything larger is suspicious and should be checked.
- Elevation: Many benign moles are raised, but the surface is always smooth. Any spots on your skin that have uneven or bumpy surfaces are red flags.
- Evolution: You should always be aware of the normal state of the moles and freckles on your body. Benign moles and freckles typically stay the same for long periods of time. Changes in any of the above criteria, in addition to any scaliness, oozing, flaking, change in consistency, etc. must be checked by a dermatologist or other appropriate healthcare professional.
If something is suspicious…
Article comments