About one million Americans are diagnosed each year with skin cancer and of these, 40,000 will be diagnosed with melanoma – the most serious, and sometimes life-threatening, form of skin cancer. About 7,000 Americans will die every year from melanoma.
The most important known risk factor for melanoma is sun exposure, though it may appear on skin not exposed to the sun. Heredity may also play a part. Some moles may also carry an increased risk of developing into melanoma – 70 percent or more melanoma begin in or near a mole or other dark spot in the skin. That is why it’s important to know the color, size, and location of the moles on your body, so you can recognize any changes.
Almost everyone has moles, on the average of about 25. An ordinary one is evenly colored, either flat or raised, round or oval and has sharply defined borders. They are usually less than 6 millimeters in diameter. They may be present at birth or appear spontaneously, usually in the first few decades of life.
Once a mole has developed, it usually stays the same size, shape, and color for many years. They eventually fade away in older persons. A sudden or continuous change in a mole’s appearance is a sign that you should see your health care provider right away.
Here is the ABCD rule to help you remember the important signs of melanoma:
ASSYMETRY: One half does not match the other half.
BORDER: The edges are irregular, ragged, notched or blurred.
COLOR: The color is not the same all over, but may have differing shades of brown or black, sometimes with patches of red, white, or blue.
DIAMETER: The area is larger than 6 millimeters (about the size of a pencil eraser) or is growing larger.
Also be sure to give yourself a regular skin self-exam. If a lesion should develop, it is almost totally curable if caught in the early stages. To perform your self-examination you will need a full-length mirror, a hand mirror and a brightly lit room.
1. Examine body front and back in mirror, then right and left sides, arms raised.
2. Bend elbows; look carefully at forearms, back of upper arms and palms.
3. Next, look at backs of legs and feet, spaces between toes, and soles.
4. Examine back of neck and scalp with a hand mirror. Part hair to lift.
5. Finally, check back and buttocks with a hand mirror.
The more common and less aggressive skin cancers, basal cell and squamous cell, often take the form of a pale, wax-like, pearly nodule, or a red, scaly, sharply outlined patch. When properly treated, these skin cancers have a 95 percent cure rate.
Sources: www.cancer.org
www.aad.org