Malignant melanoma, or simply melanoma, is the most dangerous form of skin cancer, says the American Academy of Dermatologyr. This cancer type spreads aggressively, making the early detection vital. In order to detect melanoma, people should familiarize themselves with melanoma risk factors and the early warning signs. It is also beneficial to have a dermatologist check the moles that look suspicious. If detected early, the prognosis of malignant melanoma can be quite good.
Risk Factors
According to the Mayo Clinic, people with fair skin color or skin that burns easily in the sun are at an elevated risk for getting malignant melanoma. The risk is also increased if a person is over 50 years old or has light colored eyes and blond or red hair. Having many moles or having had severe sun burns make it more likely to get this cancer. The location in which a person lives is also significant. Having spent most of his life close to the equator makes it more likely for the person to get malignant melanoma. Weakened immune system or having relatives with melanoma are also risk factors.
Development of Malignant Melanoma
The exact causes of melanoma are not fully understood. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, something just goes wrong with the normal pigment-producing skin cells, and they begin to grow uncontrollably. Melanomas can begin in an existing mole, but most commonly it starts in unmarked skin. There are two melanoma types: primary melanoma and metastatic melanoma. Primary melanoma can grow through the skin layers and spread to other parts of the body. Metastatic melanoma uses the lymph system or bloodstream to spread to other organs. The prognosis of metastatic melanoma is quite poor.
Warning Signs
The malignant melanoma typically looks quite different from regular moles. For example, they commonly have several colors, their borders can be irregular and they tend to be larger in size than normal moles. The malignant melanoma also typically grows in size over time. Melanoma does not typically have all of these signs, but frequently, at least one of these signs is present. It should be noted, however, that Dr. Alon Scope and colleagues recently developed another melanoma identification system. This method was published in December 2007 issue of the "The Melanoma Letter" Journal. According to this technique, moles should be compared with their surrounding moles. The authors call melanoma moles "ugly ducklings" because they tend to look and feel different than other moles. Dr. Scope and colleagues recommend the combination of older identification tools and the "ugly duckling" method.
