Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer. It develops in the melanocytes, which are the cells that produce melanin, giving skin its color. It is believed to be mostly caused by long term overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight or tanning lamps and beds, which means that limiting that type of exposure can be a preventative measure. This type of cancer can be found in the eyes, and rarely, the internal organs.
1. Diagnosis of melanoma
Your skin will be fully examined and inspected by the doctor, to check for abnormal and unusual marks that could potentially turn into cancer. You can also do this yourself at home. It could exist in unusual places that are hard to see. Check with a mirror in places like your groin, spaces between your toes, scalp, sole of your feet, etc.
Some places recommend periodic skin exams. However, taking a test and finding an unusual spot can require a biopsy which, if the spot is not cancerous, can cause a lot of pain, money, and time.
2. Types
- Punch biopsy: A circular blade is pressed on the skin where the suspicious mark is there.
- Excisional biopsy: Here, the entire growth is removed with the border of normal skin.
- Incisional biopsy: Only the most noticeable part of the growth is taken for biopsy.
3. Treatment of melanoma
The various treatments for melanoma can include the following:
- Surgery
If the melanoma has spread to your lymph nodes, they must be surgically removed. Additional treatments may have to be taken. - Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy employs the use of high-powered beams of energy like X-rays, to get rid of the cancer cells. This is mostly done after the surgery at the lymph nodes, to remove cancerous cells that were left behind or that spread to another part of your body. - Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the administration of chemicals and medicines to chemically destroy and dissolve cancer cells. It can be given as a pill or intravenously. In isolated limb perfusion, the medication is given via a vein in your leg or arm. The most common medications used in chemotherapy are dacarbazine and temozolomide. However, chemotherapy only shrinks these cells and does not completely eliminate them. Therefore they have good chances of recurring. - Biological therapy
Biological therapy helps improve your immunity to lend a hand while fighting against cancer. These treatments contain substances that are naturally produced by your body or are artificially made in a lab to resemble these natural substances. These include interleukin-2 and interferon, nivolumab, ipilimumab, etc. Side effects of these treatments are fever, chills, flu, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, etc. - Immunotherapy can help a few patients with stage 4 melanoma extend their lives to a certain extent. Higher doses of these medications can work better but will definitely show more side effects as well. It must be administered only under a doctor’s eye.
- Targeted therapy
Targeted therapy employs the usage of medicines and medications which are created to target certain vulnerabilities in the malignant cells. The newer medications used in this therapy involve a combination of BRAF inhibitor and MEK inhibitor. Some of these medications are:- Vemurafenib
- Dabrafenib
- Trametinib
These medications are used to treat advanced melanoma and only if your affected cells have a certain genetic mutation. Side effects of this type of treatment are skin problems, dehydration, chills, fever, etc.