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See also benign skin lesions; freckles,
moles...; cancers of the mouth and face;
skin cancer; after
cancer
What are malignant melanomas?
Malignant melanomas are one type of skin
cancer.
They can develop anywhere on the skin and also inside
the mouth. They can develop in normal skin or where there
is an existing skin mole.
The incidence of melanomas has increased over the past decades,
which we think is because of increased exposure to the sun.
How to stay safe in the sun
Because they can develop in existing benign moles,
it is a good idea to keep an eye on your moles and seek medical
advice if they change in size, shape, colour or start to bleed
(see above).
Who is most at risk from developing melanoma skin cancer?
Anyone can develop a malignant melanoma. However, some people
are more at risk then others. These risk factors include some
things you can not change:
-
Being female (twice the incidence than in males)
-
Having fair skin with lots of freckles
-
Having lots of moles
on your skin
And some risk factors that you can avoid:
-
Sunbathing, especially in the tropics
-
Having episodes of severe sunburn in the past.
The implications of these risk factors are that all people
should avoid all sunburn (preferably) or (at least) excessive
sunbathing, especially if they are in a higher risk group (eg
a woman who is fair skinned and has lots of moles and people
in her family who have had skin cancer).
How to stay safe in the sun
Who is least likely to develop melanoma skin cancers?
Children rarely develop many moles before puberty and so are
very unlikely to develop problem moles.
If you have a dark skin type, melanomas are rare but do
occur (sometimes on the soles of the feet).
The advice about checking yourself for changes in moles and avoiding
sun exposure and sunburn hold true for all people.
How to stay safe in the sun
What types of melanoma are there and what does this mean?
There are several types of malignant melanoma including:
-
Lentigo maligna
This not strictly a melanoma but an enlarging pigmented area
(eg on the face), which carries a significant risk of turning
into a melanoma. Doctors usually recommend its removal to
prevent this and also to prevent it increasing in size.
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Superficial spreading melanoma
About 50% of all melanomas seen are superficial spreading
melanomas. 'Superficial' doesn't mean they are not important
but instead that they are found and grow on the 'top' layers
of the body. They are usually found on the calf of a woman
or the back of a man.
-
Lentigo maligna melanoma
These are mostly seen in more senior patients. About 90% of
them occur on the head and neck.
-
Nodular melanoma
These can be raised blue to black nodules. They are most commonly
found on the trunk of the body.
What will happen if I have malignant melanoma skin cancer?
If malignant melanoma is diagnosed and treated successfully
and early enough, there is a very good chance of recovery.
This cancer behaves very differently from other skin cancers
(see above) and if it is not successfully treated it can spread
to other organs of your body and is very serious.
If you are diagnosed with any type of skin cancer, it is important
to remember that you are not alone. You will be offered full support
from the healthcare team at Addenbrooke's and in addition there
are many local and national support groups and centres where you
can gain advice and help with understanding and managing your
condition.
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