Melanoma/skin cancer
What is melanoma?
Melanoma is a malignant form of cancer found in the skin. There are two other forms of skin cancer, basal cell skin cancer and squamous cell skin cancer.Of skin cancers, melanoma is much more serious because it can be agressive, meaning it can spread more quickly and to other parts of the body. In the most recent year for national melanoma statistics (2002), over 7,000 people in the U.S. died from melanoma.
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Spotting melanoma early
Look for the signs: "A-B-C-D" -
Overview of skin cancer: Melanoma
Causes, descriptions and risk factors. -
Confirming melanoma: Treatment options
Skin biopsy: Stages and methods of treatment.
- Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer occuring in the United States.
- Of the three types of skin cancer, melanoma can be the
most aggressive,
spreading to other parts of the body relatively quickly.
- Each year in the U.S., over
53,000 people are diagnosed with melanoma.
- The most important environmental factor for skin cancer is exposure to ultraviolet rays (UV) from the sun.
