Definition
Malignant melanoma is a type of cancer arising from the melanocyte cells of the skin. The melanocytes are cells in the skin that produce the pigment melanin. Malignant melanoma develops when the melanocytes no longer respond to normal control mechanisms of cellular growth and are capable of invasion locally or spread to other organs in the body (metastasis), where again they invade and compromise the function of that organ.
Description
Melanocytes, embryologically derived from the neural crest, are distributed in the epidermis and thus are found throughout the skin. They produce a brown pigment known as melanin and are responsible for racial variation in skin color and also the color of moles. Malignant degeneration of
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The primary tumor begins in the skin, often from the melanocytes of a pre-existing mole. Once it becomes invasive, it may progress beyond the site of origin to the regional lymph nodes or travel to other organ systems in the body and become systemic in nature.
The lymph is the clear, protein-rich fluid that bathes the cells throughout our body. Lymph will work its way back to the bloodstream via small channels known as lymphatics. Along the way, the lymph is filtered through cellular stations known as nodes, thus they are called lymph nodes. Nearly all organs in the body have a primary lymph node group filtering the tissue fluid, or lymph, that comes from that organ. Different areas of the skin have different primary nodal stations. For the leg, they are in the groin. For the arm, the armpit or axilla. For the face, it is the neck. Depending where on the torso the tumor develops, it may drain into one groin or armpit, or both.
Cancer, as it invades in its place of origin, may also work its way into blood vessels. If this occurs, it provides yet another route for the cancer to spread to other organs of the body. When the cancer spreads elsewhere in the body, it has become systemic in extent and the tumor growing elsewhere is known as a metastasis.
Untreated, malignant melanoma follows a classic progression. It begins and grows locally, penetrating vertically. It may be carried via the lymph to the regional nodes, known as regional metastasis.
(p133-134, text). * Define metastasis. * Development of a secondary tumor in a location distant from the primary tumor. * Accomplished via lymphatic channels and circulation. * Trace the pathways for the hematologic and lymphatic spread of metastatic cancer cells. Evidence of disseminate disease presence in lymph that drain the tumor area, tumor cells lodge first in the initial lymph node that receives drainage from the tumor site, once in this lymph node cells may die b/c of the lack of a proper environment, remain dormant for unknown reasons, or grow in a discernible mass, If they survive and grow cancer cells, may spread from more distant lymph nodes to the thoracic duct, and the gain access to the blood vasculature, cancer cells may gain access to the blood vasculature from the initial node and more distant lymph nodes by way of tumor-associated blood vessels that may infiltrate the tumor mass. Sentinel
Distinguishing melanoma may seem hard to do, but is not so once a person is informed on what they should be looking for. They may appear similar to moles, and may be blue or black in color. Though they will usually lack the symmetry and border regularity of a common mole, and may have variance in their coloring. Melanomas can either appear suddenly, or develop slowly near a preexisting mole. In rare cases, melanomas may form on top of previously formed moles or birthmarks, but will also come with the effects of pain, itching, or bleeding. These moles may begin to exhibit new and/or strange characteristics such as
It develops in the melanocytes, which are cells that produce melanin that gives the skin its pigment or color and protects tissues from ultra violet radiation. Dark skinned people have more melanin than light skinned people do. For this reason, Melanomia is more frequent in light skinned people. (“Detailed description “, 2000, P.2
Melanocytes are pigment-producing cells commonly found in your lower part of your outer layer of skin, which is known as the epidermis. The natural color of your skin is produced by melanin. When skin is being exposed to
It is called malignant because not only can it invade into adjacent organs but unfortunately a cancer can spread to other tissues and that can be life threatening. Cancer can actually occur anywhere in the body because there are cells everywhere in the body. In women, one of the most common cancers of course is breast cancer, in men prostate cancer and in men and women, lung cancer and colon cancer are common cancers. It is important to understand that the cancer that occurs in one individual is very different from the cancer that occurs in another. Everyone is different; a lung tumor in one person will be different from a lung tumor in another person. Once a diagnosis of cancer is made, the next obvious question is what do you do? There are several things that are really relevant, for example, the stage of the cancer which is information about where is the cancer? You say it’s a particular kind of cancer? How much cancer is present? Has is spread? Is it in lymph nodes? Has it spread to other organs of the body? Cancer affects everyone in one way or another. Whether it is a family member, loved one or ourselves, cancer has touched our lives.
Unlike other cancers which we can develop, melanoma can often be detected on the skin which allows doctors to treat it at its early stages resulting in less complications and lower death rates to patients, again if left undetected at its early stages this can easily spread to distant areas and distant organs. Once melanoma has spread to other areas of the body which is classified as stage IV it is diagnosed as
Although there are several types of skin cancer, the most aggressive form is melanoma. This cancer of the skin involves mass replication of the pigment producing melanocyte cells, which are located in the epidermis, below the basal layer. There are several factors involved with the onset of melanoma including, exposure to ultraviolet rays, genetic predisposition, numerous nevi (moles), immunosuppression, and environmental exposure to carcinogens.
Melanoma is a dangerous invasive cancer which starts in melanin producing cells (melanocytes) usually located at the bottom of the skins epidermal layer. Although certain individuals have a genetic propensity for melanoma, it is usually triggered by excessive UV exposure from sunlight or tanning beds (Mayo Clinic, 2016a). At early stages it is relatively easy to treat, however, recurrences are common. At later stages melanoma treatments are less effective since it tends to metastasize and spread easily through the lymphatic system (Mayo Clinic, 2016a).. The root cause of malignant melanoma is due to mutations in the p53 gene protein which invariably leads to further mutations.
It is usually caused by intense exposure from ultraviolet radiation such as sun or tanning beds. Melanoma is when damaged DNA from this high exposure triggers mutations in the body that leads to the intense multiplication of cancerous cells. Melanoma cancer can look almost like a mole and can range from skin colored to black or brown in color. If caught and treated early it is curable, however if not caught early it can spread into the body and cause other cancerous cells or death. There are four types of melanoma skin cancers: superficial spreading melanoma, lentigo maligna, acral lentiginous melanoma and nodular melanoma. Superficial spreading melanoma is the most common and is usually seen in young people, but in all ages as well. It is known for growing along the epidermis for a long period of time before penetrating into the skin. This can also be found almost anywhere on the body but usually for men on their upper bodies and for females on their legs but also upper bodies. Lentigo maligna is known for its appearance for can look similar to a tan or dark discoloration. It is usually found in the elderly population and is the most common in areas of Hawaii. It is found on the upper body, arms, facial area and ears. Acral lentiginous melanoma is known for its appearance under the nails, palms of the hands or feet as a dark discoloration. It is mostly common in Asian and African-American cultures and can
Melanoma is a malignant condition arising from melanocytes in the basal layer of the skin. Melanocytes are the cells that produce melanin, which gives skin its pigmentation and shields the deeper layers of skin from the damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation. When skin is exposed to ultraviolet radiation, melanocytes increase their production of melanin, which generates darker pigmentation of the skin. Ultraviolet radiation stimulates malignant changes within the melanocytes by mutating DNA, stimulating cutaneous growth factors, decreases immune defenses, and promotes species of melanin that cause DNA impairment and suppress apoptosis. The abnormalities caused by ultraviolet radiation in the melanocytes predispose it to
Melinoma grows vry quickly and it can become life threatning as a matter of six weeks if this is untreated by a doctor. Sometimes it can appear on our skin that is not exposed to sunlight. For this cancer it can appear to be flat smudgy outlined,it can alsombe more than onen color like black, red, grey, blue, or even brown. The ways that you can lookfor this cancer is to look for spots that are not round (asymetrical), spot that are uneven boarders on you skin, unusaual or uneven
Melanoma can be anywhere on your body. Moles, warts, or even a sun burn can lead to melanoma. Melanoma is a form of cancer that begins in melanocytes, cells in the skin that produce the brown color known as melanin. These are the cells that darken when exposed to the sun, a protective response to protect the deeper layers of the skin from the harmful effects of the sun.
Another common way of this melanoma is peritoneal mesothelioma. This peritoneal tissue layer aspect helps in the real estate of other places
Melanoma is a rare and serious. It begins in the skin and can spread to other organs in the body.
Further, one third of all cancers diagnosed globally are classified as skin cancer. Each year, approximately 132,000 people are diagnosed with melanoma worldwide. (Skin Cancer, 2017). Although less common that other forms of skin cancer, melanoma is much more likely to metastasize, and therefore much more deadly. The researchers at Cancer Research UK state that the incidence of malignant melanoma has grown more rapidly over the last thirty years than any other form of cancer (Upton,