| Melanoma is a cancer of the skin that is malignant | | | | examined until the year of 1968. Upon examination |
| and can be found prominently on the skin but can | | | | and testing it was concluded that the mass was in |
| also be found in the bowel and even the eye. | | | | fact a form of metastatic melanoma. |
| Melanoma is the rarest of skin cancers but it causes | | | | There is a mnemonic device to best remember the |
| the most skin cancer related deaths. Melanoma is | | | | signs and symptoms of melanoma. It is "ABCDE." |
| caused by the uncontrolled growth of pigment cells | | | | A: asymmetrical skin lesion |
| known as melanocytes. The only cure for melanoma | | | | B: border of the lesion is irregular |
| is to surgically remove the tumor before it grows to | | | | C: color: melanomas usually have multiple colors |
| a size of 1mm. There are close to 160,000 new | | | | D: diameter: moles greater than 5mm are more likely |
| cases of melanoma worldwide each and every year | | | | to be melanomas than smaller ones |
| and according to the World Health Organization there | | | | E: evolution: the evolution or change of a mole or |
| are approximately 48,000 deaths related to | | | | lesion may be a hint that the lesion is becoming |
| melanoma each year as well. 75 percent of all deaths | | | | malignant. Elevation: the mole is raised or elevated |
| from skin cancer are associated to malignant | | | | above the skin. |
| melanoma. Treatment for melanoma includes the | | | | There are seven types of melanoma. They are |
| aforementioned surgery, chemotherapy, | | | | superficial spreading melanoma, nodular melanoma, |
| immunotherapy and even radiation therapy. It is | | | | acral lentiginous melanoma, lentigo maligna melanoma, |
| recommended by doctors that anyone who has a | | | | clear cell sarcoma, mucosal melanoma and uveal |
| family history of melanoma should see a | | | | melanoma. As with all types of cancers, especially |
| dermatologist at least once a year to make sure | | | | malignant ones, there are four stages of the disease |
| they are not developing melanoma themselves. | | | | that melanoma can be active in. The stages are |
| The first case of melanoma did not come until the | | | | Stage I, Stage II, Stage III and Stage IV. Each |
| 1960s; at least the oldest known case was | | | | different stage has sublevels that the melanoma can |
| discovered until the 1960s. Scientists were working | | | | develop in. |
| on a group of mummies when they noticed | | | | Patients suffering from melanoma can feel a loss of |
| deformities in their skin. It was determined that these | | | | appetite, nausea, vomiting, an uncomfortable feeling |
| mummies did have some type of malignant | | | | and a general weakness throughout the body. |
| melanoma. The mummies dated back at least 2,400 | | | | Melanoma, like all other cancers, cannot be completely |
| years. The first operation related to melanoma | | | | cured but it can be kept under control with radiation, |
| occurred in 1787 by a man named John Hunter. The | | | | chemotherapy and immunotherapy. As with all |
| tumor that was removed from the skin was | | | | chemotherapy treatments a feeling of fatigue, |
| preserved in the Hunterian Museum of the Royal | | | | nausea, loss of appetite, bowel problems and weight |
| College of Surgeons of England. The mass was not | | | | loss can occur. |