Melanoma
Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer, affecting 53,600 people in the U.S. each year. In the past 30 years, the percentage of people who develop melanoma has more than doubled.
About Melanoma
Melanoma begins in melanocytes, cells of the skin that produce pigment. Clusters of melanocytes form growths called moles. While usually non-cancerous, moles may develop into melanoma. The disease can also occur in the eye.
Melanoma may invade nearby lymph nodes, which could mean that the cancer has spread to other parts of the body such as the liver, lungs or brain. This is called metastatic melanoma.
Who’s at Risk?
Melanoma affects people of all ages, but the risk increases with age. In men, melanoma is often found on the trunk, head or neck. In women, the cancer often develops on the lower legs. Melanoma is rare in people with dark-colored skin.
Risk Factors
The following may lead to a higher risk of developing melanoma:
- Dysplastic nevi (abnormal moles): A large number of dysplastic nevi, abnormal-looking moles.
- Many moles: More than 50 ordinary moles.
- Fair skin: Light-colored skin that burns or freckles easily.
- Personal history: History of melanoma or other skin cancers.
- Family history: Two or more family members who have been treated for the disease.
- Weakened immune system: An immune system weakened by certain cancers, by drugs given following organ transplantation, or by HIV.
- Severe sunburns: At least one severe, blistering sunburn as a child, teenager or adult.
- Ultraviolet radiation (UV): Exposure to UV radiation from the sun, sunlamps or tanning booths. Greatest damage occurs on persons with exposure to UV rays before age 18. Sunscreen and other sun protection reduce the risk of melanoma.
- Carcinogens: Carcinogens such as coal tar, creosote (wood preservative), and arsenic compounds found in pesticides.
- Genetics: A rare genetic disorder called xeroderma pigmentosum causes extreme skin sensitivity to UV radiation.
Treatment
Treatment options depend on the extent of the disease and other health factors. Melanoma surgery to remove the cancerous cells and surrounding tissue is the most common form of treatment.
If surgery can not completely eliminate the cancer, other treatments may also be used, including chemotherapy, immunotherapy or radiation therapy. Many treatment plans include a combination of methods.
Some information on this page is provided by the National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society.