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Skin Cancer – Melanoma

Skin cancer or melanoma forms in the melanocytes, cells found in the skin that produce melanin that tans the skin. Overexposure to the sun can cause melanocytes to cluster forming pink, tan, or brown moles. If moles begin to change shape, color or size they may be cancerous. According to the American Cancer Association, skin cancer is the most common of all the cancers with more than 60,000 cases each year in the United States.

Symptoms

Remembering “ABCD” can help you tell a normal mole from an abnormal mole:

Asymmetry: One half of the mole does not match the other half.
Border irregularity: The edges of the mole are irregular or not smooth. They may look ragged, blurred, or notched.
Color: The color over the mole is not the same all over. There may be shades of tan, brown, or black, and sometimes patches of pink, red, blue, or white.
Diameter: The mole is larger than about ¼ inch - about the size of a pencil eraser - although sometimes melanomas can be smaller.

* Source: American Cancer Society

If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, consult a MemorialCare Physician partner.

Causes & Prevention

The causes of skin cancer are unknown. By protecting your skin from the sun and having regular skin cancer screenings you can reduce your risk for skin cancer.

Ways to protect yourself against skin cancer:

Apply sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher before you go outdoors even on cloudy days.
Reapply sunscreen after swimming, sweating or towel drying.
Avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Wear a wide-brimmed hat and protective clothing.
Pay attention to changes in your skin's color, texture and feeling, including itching, tenderness, pain, bleeding, oozing, scaliness or moles with irregular shapes, borders or colors.
Perform a monthly skin cancer self-exam. See your doctor on a regular basis for skin cancer screenings.

Skin cancer screening recommendations:

Head-to-toe visual exam - Every three years for men and women aged between 20 and 30 years. Annually for men and women starting at age 40.

Risk Factors

You are at a greater risk for skin cancer if you:

Stay in the sun for long periods of time.
Have a history of sunburns.
Have lots of moles.
Have fair skin.
Have a personal or family history of skin cancer.
Have a weak immune system.

Diagnosis

During a physical exam a biopsy may be taken so that tissues from the skin can be viewed by a pathologist under a microscope to detect skin cancer.

Staging

If cancer is diagnosed and before treatment begins, additional tests are performed to determine the stage of the cancer and to see if it has spread to other parts of the body.

Treatments

MemorialCare’s experienced team of oncologists, radiation oncologists, radiologists, pathologists and surgeons conduct roundtable discussions (tumor boards) of newly diagnosed patients to make recommendations for the best course of treatment.