Johnnie Powell’s face had a small spot that looked different. It was purple and white and itched. That spot started because a melanocyte had grown a cancerous tumor. He was told by his family doctor that he had a melanoma.
Melanocytes are the cells that produce melanin. Melanin gives dark or tan color to the skin. But, when one of these cells gets out of control, it can produce one of the most dangerous cancers known. And more than 53,0605 people are told that they have melanoma every year just inside the United States of America.
Risks for getting Melanoma
The most common risk factor for melanoma known is too much ultraviolet rays. When melanoma was first studied, it was found that people who labored out of doors were those who tended to show up with melanoma. Furthermore, those who had gotten a sunburn causing blisters were those who tended to go on to get a malignant melanoma.
People with light skin are much more likely to get melanoma. This might likely be related to the fact that they are more likely to get skin damage by sun exposure. But, this is not set in stone.
Those who have lots of nevi (moles) are at higher risk for melanoma, particularly those who have over 50. Also, those who have a particular type of mole called a dysplastic nevus are at higher risk.
Some people have had other skin cancers successfully treated including squamous cell carcinoma. Those people are more likely to get melanoma.
If you have had other people in your family that had melanoma, then you are more likely to get a melanoma as well.
Finally, those who have a weakended immune system get malignant melanomas more frequently. Whether a person has AIDS, an organ transplant needing medications to curtail the immune system or others using those medications, that person will have a higher risk.
One published case highlighted the role of genetics in melanoma. A man who was a chimera got melanoma. A chimera is someone who has two different types of DNA on each side of the body. This may occure when twins are formed and somehow join into one body. The man in the journal article had large metastatic lumps of melanoma tumors on one side of his body and none at all on the other!
How to Identify a Malignant Melanoma
The only way to be sure whether a bump on your skin is a melanoma or not is to have your doctor take it off and get it studied by a pathologist. However, there are some ways to know if you should be suspicious of one of those lumps or bumps.
Irregular Border – A melanoma will usually have an uneven border. The average mole has a sharp border. You can point to any spot on your skin and say for sure whether it is part of the mole or not. This is not the case with melanoma.
Assymetric Shape – The melanoma lesions typically have two halves that look different.
Different Color – Malignant Melanomas often will have different parts of the tumor that have different colors.
Size – most melanomas are larger than other moles. And they also tend to grow and may bleed or itch.
If you have something suspicious on your skin that you have a question about, get it examined by your dermatologist early. By removing the melanoma while it is just getting started gives you a much better chance of a cure. Particularly when the bump is still tiny.
