Articles From Experts
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The third type of skin cancer, malignant melanoma, is much less common but far more dangerous. If not detected early and treated promptly, malignant melanoma can quickly turn lethal. According to statistics compiled by the American Cancer Society, about 34,100 people develop malignant melanoma each year, and each year about 7,200 people die from the disease. Malignant melanoma: begins in the melanocytes, the skin cells that are responsible for dark skin and suntans. Exposure to sunlight causes the melanin in the skin to increase, forming a protective layer. When melanocytes become cancerous, they grow uncontrollably. As they continue to produce melanin, melanomas characteristically have a dark pigmentation. They may be tan, brown, or black, or a single melanoma may mix several of these shades. Melanomas can be quite aggressive, spreading easily and rapidly to colonize vital organs. Once this happens, melanoma is very hard to treat, and the prognosis is much less promising. Sometimes melanoma will appear on previously unblemished skin, but more commonly it begins on or near the site of a pre-existing mole or dark spot. Treatment: A malignant tumor is usually surgically removed. If the tumor is large, a skin graft may be required to patch the scar. Pre-cancerous lesions are sometimes treated with topical chemotherapy. Causes: „h „h Some believe that dark brown or black skin is a guarantee against skin cancer, but it is not true. African-Americans can also develop melanoma, especially on the lighter skin on the palms of the hands, the soles of the feet, and under the nails.„h People who work or play in the sun, especially in places where there is intense year-round sunshine and the chances increase as one ages, as the effects of sun exposure accumulate over time.„h Another major risk factor for melanoma is having had at least one severe sunburn during one¡¦s childhood.„h People with many moles, and people who have relatives with melanoma are also at greater risk of developing this disease.
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