Spotting melanoma early
The best chance for recovery from melanoma and ridding of the cancer requires early detection . Remember that melanoma can occur anywhere on the body, and often in places that you yourselfcannot see directly.In men, melanoma is often found on the trunk (the area from the shoulders to the hips) or the head and neck. In women,
melanoma often develops on the arms and legs. Melanoma usually occurs in adults, but it is also found in younger ages also.
Risk factors for melanoma include:
- Unusual moles or many ordinary moles (more than 50).
- Exposure to natural sunlight.
- Exposure to artificial ultraviolet light (tanning booth).
- Family or personal history of melanoma.
- White or light-colored skin and freckles.
- Blue eyes. Being white and older than 20 years.
- Red or blond hair.
Signs of melanoma
Generally, looking at moles (or other blotches or discolorations) on the skin can help spot melanoma. Most people have between 10 and 40 moles. Moles may be pink, tan, brown, or a color that is very close to the person’s normal skin tone. People who have dark skin tend to have dark moles. Moles can be flat or raised. They are usually round or oval and smaller than a pencil eraser. For melanoma, one should look for changes, and some specific types of changes.The National Cancer Institute recommends thinking of "ABCD" to help remember what to watch for:
- A symmetry: Where the shape on one side of the mole does not match the other.
- B order: Where the border is ragged, irregular, notched, blurred, or the pigment spreads into surrounding skin.
- C olor: Uneven color, or different shades of colors together.
- D iameter: Change in size, especially larger than a pencil eraser or 1/4 inch (5mm).
- Mole or pigmentation that itches, oozes, bleeds, or is ulcerated.
- Satellite moles (new moles that grow near an existing mole).
