Prognosis For Melanoma

Melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer (including moles) is easily curable when detected in its early stage. But as the disease progresses the melanoma cells spreads to other parts of body including lymph glands, lungs, liver, and often brain via blood vessels, causing metastatic tumor in these organs, which is very difficult to treat.

It is very easy to detect and treat melanoma in its early stage. A new or disfigured mole or blemish is the most common early sign of potential melanoma. Variation in color and/or increase in diameter or asymmetry of borders of potential mole are noted in more than 80 percent of patients at the time of diagnosis. Apart from this, bleeding, itching, ulceration and pain are some of the symptoms associated with the potential mole or lesion.

An ABCDE rule is an excellent way of identifying changes of significance in a potential mole.

Asymmetry: The shape of one half of mole doesn't match with other half.
Border irregularity: Edges are often ragged, notched, blurred or irregular.
Color variation: Uneven color, often with shades of black, brown, tan, white, grey, red or pink.
Diameter: A change in diameter, usually an increase in diameter. Moles greater than 6.5 millimeters are more likely to develop into melanomas than smaller moles.
Evolution: The evolution, that is changes in a mole or lesion, over a time lesion may be a hint that a lesion is becoming malignant. The potential mole is raised or elevated above the skin.

The ABCDE have the greatest diagnostic accuracy when used in combination. Moles exhibiting these features should be considered as potential melanoma. If one of the sign or symptoms is missing in suspicious mole or you are unsure of what you are seeing then you must consult your doctor.

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Prognosis For Melanoma