Malignant Melanoma

Malignant Melanoma General Information

Malignant Melanoma is a malignant tumor of the melanocytes (the melanocytes are cells situate in the basal layer of the epidermis and in the middle layer of the eye, in the uvea) which are found predominantly in skin, but also in the bowel and in the eye. It is a rare type of skin cancer, but produces the majority of skin cancer related deaths. Although there are many years of clinical and laboratory studies, the only sure and effective cure is surgical resection of the tumor before it reaches a thickness bigger than 1 mm. There are annually over 160.000 cases of Malignant Melanoma diagnosed worldwide and it appears more frequently in males and caucasians, as they live in the sunny climates, so they are much more exposed to the sun than others. Usually an individual’s risk for developing this disorder depends on the environmental factors (the most important being the sun exposure) and intrinsic factors (which represent the inherited genotype of an individual). The exposure to the sun means exposure to ultraviolet radiation (which is an electromagnetic radiation) which is one of the most important factors that contribute to the apparition of the Malignant Melanoma, because the UV radiations damage the DNA of the cells, usually thymine dimerization, which when is not treated can create mutations to the genes of the cells, and when the cells divide themselves these mutations are transmitted to the new generation of cells.

There are four types of Malignant Melanoma:

• superficial spreading melanoma
• nodular melanoma
• lentigo maligna melanoma
• acral melanoma.

Malignant Melanoma - Symptoms

The change of the mole’s color (the mole is the brown natural pigment of the skin) is the common symptom of this disorder. As it can be difficult to tell the difference between a mole and Melanoma, here is a list of the Melanoma’s symptoms, list that is also called the “ABCDE”:

• Asymmetry – the normal moles are symmetric, meaning that they have approximately the same shape, while the Melanoma is irregular, asymmetric.
• Border – the normal moles have a well defined border and the Melanoma’s borders are irregular.
• Color – the normal moles have a uniform brown, while Melanoma’s color differ they can be brown mixed with white, pink, black or red.
• Diameter – the normal moles are not larger than 6 mm, while Melanoma is larger than 7 mm. 
• Elevation – the Melanoma mole is usually raised above the skin.
There can also appear itching, bleeding and crusting in Malignant Melanoma. Notching and ulceration of the surface of the skin. Satellite moles are the moles which grow near an existing mole.

Malignant Melanomas vary in how they look, many can show all the “ABCDE” features, but a part present abnormalities in one or two of the “ABCDE”. People should go periodically to their doctor for a routine control, but they can also examine their skin by themselves and inform the doctor about any changes in a mole, no matter how insignificant they may seem, because once the Melanoma becomes thick, the disease spreads all over the body becoming more difficult to control.

Malignant Melanoma – Treatment

Malignant Melanoma can be treated only if it is diagnosed before the tumor gets thick and deep, if it is not cured in its early stage the cancer cells develop on the skin’s surface and affect the healthy tissue. People who have this medical condition have a bigger risk to develop a new one, or if it is cured there is a chance for the disease to reoccour.
Here are some treatment alternatives for Malignant Melanoma:

• Surgical Oncology – means removing the tumor during a surgery.
• Chemotherapy – is a treatment based on drugs that stop the cell’s growth and reproduction, introduced in the body intravenously. The dark side of chemotherapy is that it has many side effects, such as: nausea, vomiting, hair loss and mouth sores.
• Fractioned dose chemotherapy - is also chemotherapy as its name says, but it is divided into smaller doses that are administrated over a period of 3 to 5 days and it reduces the unpleasant side effects of a bigger, single dose.
• Radiation therapy – it is usually used with chemotherapy or surgery, but it can also be used alone. This technique involves directing a “beam” of radiation, which comes from outside your body, directly on the cancerous tissue of your body.
• Tomo Therapy – projects a powerful dose of radiation on the tissue affected.
• Biotherapy – is a way of understanding and helping your organism to fight against the cancer and it can be used to control or even stop the processes that lead to cancer growth.
• Lentigo maligna treatment – is a treatment based on a cream that is applied on the affected part of the body that decreases the tumor size which is very important for the preparation of the surgery.
• Interferons - manufactured interferons (such as: interferon alpha, interferon beta and interferon gamma) help the body to fight against the cancer, by combating the foreign invaders and prevent the growth and spread of the cancerous cells. Interferons can also have side effects such as: headaches, temperature or chills, aches and pains in muscles.
• Hyperthermia is a treatment in which the infected tissue is exposed to high temperatures in order to kill the cancerous cells or make them vulnerable to the radiation therapy. It can cause discomfort, local pain and blister which cure rapidly.
• Vaccine for this disease is a treatment that uses body substances to stop the spread of the cancerous cells. This type of treatment is not available world wide as it is still being tested. It is used as treatment for the people who have advanced Malignant Melanoma and as adjuvant for those who have high risk Malignant Melanoma. This cancer vaccine is made for the stimulation of the body in using its immune system to combat the cancer.