Have you noticed a new mole on your skin? Let's learn about the most dangerous type of skin cancer (Melanoma)

Have you ever noticed that a mole on your skin has gotten bigger and has changed color? Or have you suddenly noticed a new dark spot that was never there before? Most of the time, these are just normal spots. However, in rare cases, these small changes can be the first sign of a dangerous disease that we should not ignore. That is why today we are going to talk about a very important topic. That is melanoma, a type of skin cancer. Don't be afraid when you hear this name. If we are properly informed about this, we can protect ourselves from it and recognize it early and treat it.

Simply put, what is melanoma?

Melanoma is considered the most dangerous and severe type of skin cancer. It means "black tumor." This cancer arises from cells called melanocytes, which are the cells that give our skin its color. These cells produce a pigment called melanin. It is this melanin pigment that determines the color of our skin, hair, and eyes.

Melanoma usually appears black or brown, but can sometimes appear pink, red, purple, or even skin-colored.

Just think, about 30% of melanomas develop from a birthmark that we already have on our body. That means a birthmark turns into cancer. But what's even more dangerous is that 70% of melanomas develop from a new mole on normal skin that never had a birthmark before. That's why we need to be very careful about new moles on our body.

This cancer can grow very quickly and spread to other parts of the body (metastasis). Therefore, early detection can be the difference between life and death. But the good news is that if detected early, it can be cured in 99% of cases .

How common is melanoma? Who is most at risk?

Although melanoma accounts for only 1% of all skin cancers reported worldwide, it is responsible for the largest number of deaths from skin cancer. It is particularly common among young people under the age of 30, and is more common among young women .

The number of melanoma cases has increased dramatically worldwide over the past 30 years. The main reason for this has been identified as increased exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun. Living in a country with intense sunlight like ours, we should think twice about this.

Melanoma can develop anywhere on your body. It can develop inside the eyes or even on internal organs. Men are more likely to develop it on the chest, abdomen, and upper back (trunk), while women are more likely to develop it on their legs.

How to recognize melanoma? Remember the "ABCDE" rule!

As mentioned earlier, it's very important to recognize this early. There's a very easy way to help us with that. It's called the "ABCDE" rule . Always check if any moles or birthmarks on your skin show these characteristics.

Another thing is the "Ugly Duckling Sign." That is, if you have a spot on your body that looks different from all the other spots on your body, looks cut out, and makes you think, "This one is different from the others," it is very important to show that to a doctor.

Why does melanoma develop? What are the risk factors?

Most experts agree that the main risk factor for melanoma is excessive sun exposure , especially as a child, to the point of sunburn and blistering. According to reports, 86% of melanomas are caused by the sun's UV rays.

Simply put, UV rays can damage the DNA in our skin cells. Cancer occurs when cells with this damaged DNA start to divide. The World Health Organization has also classified UV rays from tanning beds as a carcinogen.

Although anyone can develop melanoma, the following people are at higher risk:

• For those who have previously had melanoma.
• If someone in the family (mother, father, siblings) has had melanoma.
• For those with very fair skin, freckles, blonde or red hair, and blue eyes .
• For those who are overexposed to the sun, especially those who are sunburned.
• For those living near the equator or at high altitudes (high exposure to UV rays).
• For people with a large number of birthmarks on their body, especially those with unusual shapes (atypical).
• For those with weakened immune systems (e.g., those who have had organ transplants).

How does a doctor diagnose melanoma?

If you have a suspicious mole, your doctor will first examine it carefully. Then, if they need to confirm the suspicion further, they will remove part or all of the mole through a small surgical procedure and send it to a lab for testing. This is called a biopsy . This is how they look at it under a microscope to see if it contains cancer cells.

If the biopsy confirms that it is melanoma, the next step is to find out how far the cancer has spread and how deep it has gone. This is called staging . This is very important for planning treatment. The thickness of the cancer is the most important factor in predicting the outcome.

The main stages of melanoma are divided as follows:

What tests are done to determine the chance?

Doctors may recommend several more tests to find out exactly if the cancer has spread.

• Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy: A special test to see if the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes.
• CT scan (Computed Tomography - CT scan): To check for cancer in the body's internal organs.
• MRI scan (Magnetic Resonance Imaging - MRI scan): To check for cancerous tumors in the brain or spinal cord.
• PET scan (Positron Emission Tomography - PET scan): To see if the cancer has spread to distant parts of the body.
• Blood tests: Measuring certain things in the blood (e.g. LDH - Lactate Dehydrogenase) can give an idea of ​​the status of the cancer.

What are the treatments for melanoma?

The treatment you receive will depend on the stage of your cancer and your overall health.

The main treatment in the early stages is to completely remove the cancer through surgery. This involves cutting out the cancerous spot and a small area of ​​healthy skin around it. In most cases, this is a simple procedure that can be done in a dermatologist's office under anesthesia.

In advanced cases where the cancer has spread, other treatments may be needed in addition to surgery.

• Lymphadenectomy: If the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes, those lymph nodes are surgically removed.
• Targeted cancer therapy: The use of special drugs that attack only cancer cells. These do not harm healthy cells.
• Radiation Therapy: Destroying cancer cells using high-energy rays.
• Immunotherapy: Stimulating our body's own immune system to fight cancer.

How to protect yourself from melanoma?

This is the most important part. There are many things we can do to protect ourselves from this dangerous cancer.

• Avoid intense sunlight, especially between 10 am and 4 pm, and stay in the shade as much as possible.
• Apply sunscreen. Use a broad-spectrum (protects against both UVA and UVB) sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher whenever you go outside, even on a cloudy day. Reapply every 1.5 hours. Reapply even more often if you're sweating or swimming.
• Wear protective clothing. Wear wide-brimmed hats, sunglasses, long-sleeved clothing, and long pants.
• Avoid tanning beds completely.
• Use a lip balm that contains sunscreen for your lips as well.
• Apply sunscreen to children over 6 months of age.

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