The Facts On Acral Lentiginous Melanoma

     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

Any type of change size, color, or shape of a mole is an important warning sign. For weeks or months, watch the changes that occur. The ABCDE rule is a helpful rule to estimate skin changes. A is asymmetry. If one half of a mole does not match the other have there is no symmetry. B is border irregularity. Jagged, uneven, or blurred edges of a mole should catch your attention. C is color. Changes in the mole color, particularly from the edge of the mole to the middle. D is for the diameter. If the mole is larger than 6mm the mole should be of concern. E is evolution. Changes in the surface size and shape, as well as itching or tenderness should be observed. Often time’s melanoma is developed in unmarked skin, but can also develop in existing moles or birthmarks (“Melanoma and Skin Cancer Symptoms”). Skin examinations should be an often routine provided by a doctor. Any notice of suspicious signs, see a health care provider as quick as possible. Examinations by a dermatologist are a potential way to see if you have developed skin cancer. If during the examination skin cancer is suspected a biopsy will probably be the next process (Knight).

These brown coloured cancerous growths develop when unrepaired DNA has committed damage to the body’s skin cells. It is known that it is the most commonly triggered by vigorous amounts of sunshine, over excessive use of tanning bed and UV lights which result in making mutations in the skin that produces the skin cells to over multiply at a quick rate which can eventually form nasty tumours.

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.

Vitiligo is a chronic skin disorder that affects the pigmentation of the skin. Pigment is what gives the skin color and is produced by cells called melanocytes. In the disorder, the body attacks the melanocytes resulting in the loss of color in patchy areas. When the color is lost, the affected area becomes a white irregular shaped patch on the outer layer of the skin. Vitiligo can affect a very small portion of the body or affect up to fifty percent of the skin. The most common areas of the body affected by the disorder include the hands, feet, arms, face and sometimes the genitalia. This illness can be treated but it cannot be cured

Mayo Clinic. (2011, April 21). Surgical oncology and melanoma - Mayo Clinic [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dL4dIlfWUI4

Familial melanoma is a genetic or inherited condition. This means that the risk of having a melanoma can be passed from generation to generation in a family. Ordinarily, each cell has two copies of each gene: one inherited from the mother and one inherited from the father. Familial melanoma follows a dominant inheritance pattern, in which case a mutation happens in only one copy of the gene. As every cell has two copies of each gene, it means that a parent can potentially pass along a copy of his or her normal gene or a copy of the mutated gene. Therefore, a child who has a parent with a mutation has a 50% chance of inheriting that mutation. A related person such as a brother or a parent of the person who has a mutation also has a 50% chance of having the same mutation.

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

Vitiligo is a skin pigmentation disorder. This disorder can be recognized by the presence of the patches and macules that are depigmented. For instance, someone with darker skin will have white patches among their body, as well as some white hair. Melanoma Associated Hypopigmentation is also a depigmentation of the skin, but it can be associated with immunotherapeutic agent treatments. Vitiligo and Melanoma Associated Hypopigmentation are both leukodermas. They also seem to link to MM which is Malignant Melanoma.

The most common sign of melanoma is the appearance of a new mole or a change in an existing mole. This type of mole can appear anywhere but most often on the back, legs, arms and face.

Lentigo maligma: Lentigo maligma just like superficial spreading melanoma it stays on the top layer of the skin for the early stages and generally appears as flat or mildly elevated cluttered tan, or discoloration This type is usually found in elderly people. This type of melanoma is very common in Hawaii.

Melanoma is one of the rare diseases of the integumentary system; it is also the deadliest. It is a form of skin cancer and is held responsible for most skin-cancer related deaths. The three major forms of melanoma are: cutaneous melanoma, ocular melanoma, and mucosal melanoma. More and more cases of melanoma have been occurring throughout the years. In the early 2000’s over 160,000 new cases of this deadly disease popped up. It is ranked the sixth most common cancer in both genders. While it does occur slightly more in women, the deaths caused by it is higher for men. This form of cancer is more popular with the white population. It more so affects these whites in North America, Oceania, and Europe.

Melanoma has a high cure rate when it is removed in the early stage before it has invaded deep into your skin and spread throughout your body. While you want to be alert to changes on your skin, it's important to realize you can get melanoma in places you might not suspect such as under your fingernails, inside your lips, and in your eyes. Melanoma isn't the most common type of skin cancer but it is one of the most deadly when it isn't treated. Visit your dermatologist when you have changes on your skin so you can protect yourself from this form of

The skin cancer is long term disease.it is most widely recognized of all diseases. The melanoma indicates under 2% of growing skin cases however there is huge greater part of skin cancer passings.the recent research the Cancer Society’s identified melanoma in the newzealands for 2015:

Malignant melanoma, known as the deadliest form of skin cancer, is one of the most rapidly increasing cancers in the world. In a report published in 2000, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that approximately 65,000 global deaths related to melanoma occurred that year. Invasive melanoma alone has an estimated incidence of 76,690 and an estimated total of 9,480 deaths in the United States in 2013 [1]. Melanoma is more aggressive as compared to Nonmelanomous skin cancer. Cutaneous melanoma is nothing but cancerous growth of melanocytes. These melanocytes are the cells that are found at the bottom of the epidermal layer of the skin. These melanocytes are responsible for producing the UV-absorbing pigment called melanin. Melanin is the