Malignant Melanoma

Summary

Malignant Melanoma is the most dangerous form of skin cancer because it is the most prone to spread to other parts of the body.
A cure is almost guaranteed if a Malignant Melanoma is removed surgically while it is still a flat brown mark.
Early detection by regular self-examination of your moles is the best method of dealing with Malignant Melanoma.

What Causes Malignant Melanoma?

Risk factors for Malignant Melanoma are: having red or blond hair, having more than 100 moles or having lived in a country with strong sun shine during childhood and having experienced painful, blistering sunburn during childhood.

Adult sun exposure does not seem to increase the risk of Malignant Melanoma.

What Is Malignant Melanoma?

Malignant Melanoma is a cancer of the mole cells or melanocytes that live in the outer half millimetre of the skin called the epidermis. Their job is to manufacture a brown chemical called melanin in response to sunlight and injected it into the normal skin cells (keratinocytes) to protect them.

What Happens To Malignant Melanoma?

Eighty five percent of Malignant Melanomas grow sideways parallel to the surface of the skin for several months. If they can be found during this stage they are always cured by surgery.

Around fifteen percent grow downwards into the body early in their life. It is the downward growth phase that is dangerous because cells can then spread to other parts of the body.

How Can Malignant Melanoma Be Treated?

Surgery during the early phases of growth is the only known cure.

How Can Malignant Melanoma Be Prevented?

Wearing sunscreen during the first fifteen years of life will probably reduce the chance of developing a Malignant Melanoma. Otherwise early detection is the best policy.

Further reading: http://www.bad.org.uk/public/leaflets/melanoma.asp