Melanoma is the most common form of skin cancer and skin cancer is the most widespread kind of cancer in the Western world. It starts in skin cells called melanocytes.
Melanocytes are situated under the skin, which is made up of two strata: the epidermis on the outside and the dermis below that. To be accurate, melanocytes are found in the lowest strata of the epidermis, but not actually in the dermis.
These cells produce melanin, which has an effect on the epidermis? pigmentation, both natural skin colour and because of exposure to the sun as in tanning.
Sometimes, a group of near-by melanocytes combine with a little local tissue to form a mole (also called a nevus; plural nevi). The average individual has between ten and forty moles, which usually seem before the fortieth birthday. They often fade or disappear with age.
Moles are non-malignant (non-cancerous) and can be flat or raised in shape and almost any colour. Usually, they are a little darker than one?s natural skin colour. Dark skinned individuals tend to have more moles.
Cancer begins in cells where the regular cycle of decay and replacement by regeneration has been disrupted. In these conditions, cells do not always die when they should and new cells are produced needlessly.
This, in turn, produces a growth (also called a tumor), which can be either benign or malignant (that is to say cancerous or non-cancerous).
Benign tumors can be surgically removed and hardly ever come back. They do not spread or affect adjacent tissue.
Malignant tumors are cancerous and can have an effect on adjacent tissue and organs. In these cases, cancerous cells can break away from the primary tumor and affect other organs or enter the blood stream (lymphatic system), whereby it will spread to other parts of the body (metastasis) very quickly. The rate of metastasis is a deciding factor in how a surgeon deals with cancer.
Melanoma happens when melanocytes become malignant. It can occur at any age, but the likelihood rise with age. Fair-skinned people are more probable to develop it than dark-skinned people. In fair-skinned races, men tend to get it on the torso and neck, whereas women get it on their calves (lower legs).
Dark-skinned people hardly ever suffer from melanoma, but if they do, it is usually under the finger and toe nails or on the soles of the feet or palms of the hands. When cancerous cells from melanoma enter the lymphatic system and affect other organs, it is still attributed to melanoma. For instance, if the liver becomes affected by cancerous cells from melanoma, it is referred to as metastatic melanoma, not liver cancer.
Frequently, the first sign of melanoma is a change in the size, shape, colour, or texture of an existing mole, although it frequently first manifests itself with a new mole or moles. Self-diagnosis is not to be relied on - always seek professional advice if you have any concerns relating to your skin. However, it is wise to keep in mind ?The ABCD of Melanoma?, which goes thus:
Asymmetry: the shape of one side of the mole is not the same as the other side.
Border: the border or edges of the mole are not plainly defined; a bit tattered or the colouration ?leaks? into the surrounding skin.
Colouration: the mole is not consistently of one colour, although it is not so important what that colour is.
Diameter: there is a modification in size or a new mole gets larger than 5mm in size.
Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on quite a few subjects, but is now involved with the stages of ovarian cancer. If you would like to know more, please visit our web site at Signs and Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer