Melanoma: Got an ugly mole??????

Hi All,
As most of you know by now I was recently diagnosed with malignant melanoma cancer. Luckily, we caught it early and after removing a good chunk of the skin on my back I have a very good chance of a complete recovery. Since most of you who read this blog are related to me it is important to note that your chance of getting this type of cancer is significantly increased now. It is important to look for tell-tell signs of melanoma and get it taken care of immediately. Out of all three types of skin cancer, melanoma affects the fewest number of people but causes the most deaths of all three types. With this in mind I have included information on what to look for. Let me know if you have any questions.

S.C.


Ps. The information below is very basic. Here are some links for more detailed information and pictures.

Malignant Melanoma: Digital version of pamphlet given to me at my last doctors visit.
http://www.aad.org/public/Publications/pamphlets/MalignantMelanoma.htm

Skin Cancer Fact Sheet: Interesting facts on Melanoma and other skin cancers.
http://www.aad.org/aad/Newsroom/2007+Skin+Cancer+Fact+Sheet.htm



Melanoma

As with basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, excessive and chronic sun exposure is a major risk factor for melanoma. There also is a tendency for melanoma to "run in the family", and to be associated with a familial trait of having many moles on the body. Melanoma often arises in a pre-existing mole or pigmented lesion. Early diagnosis and treatment of melanoma is essential. Any person with many moles or a family history of melanoma should be examined regularly by a dermatologist. Every adult should self-examine at regular intervals to detect any early indications of melanoma. Self-examination is done using the A-B-C-D criteria:
A=Asymmetry (the left side of the lesion is unlike the right side)

B=Border Irregularity (the lesion has a scalloped or poorly defined border)

C=Color Variation (not all parts of the lesion are the same color;
within the lesion may be patches of tan, brown, black, pink, white or blue)

D=Diameter (while melanomas are usually greater than 6mm in diameter when diagnosed, they can be smaller. If you notice a mole different from others, or which changes, itches or bleeds even if it is smaller than 6mm, you should see a dermatologist)

It is worth noting that some melanomas do not conform to the A-B-C-D criteria, so any suspicious mole should be examined by a dermatologist.

The information shown above was copied from the following website:
http://heartspring.net/pictures_of_skin_cancer.html#Melanoma