Diagnosis And Treatment Of Melanoma - Essay Example

Diagnosis And Treatment Of Melanoma Melanoma bears the dubious distinction of being the most well-known and deadly form of skin cancer. Due to the fact that this particular form of skin cancer is so deadly (ultimately claiming the lives of between 7,000 to 12,000 individuals annually) this brief analysis will seek to provide an overview and discussion of key facts and statistics that are concentric upon the rate and exhibition of melanoma skin cancer throughout society. It is the hope of this author that such a level of explanation the discussion will be beneficial to the reader, and to the researcher, in terms of helping to understand this particular disease to a better and more effective degree. Ultimately, even though melanoma is extraordinarily dangerous, if detected early, it is one of the most preventable forms of cancer (Ingraffea 35). As with many diseases, both environmental and hereditary factors have a profound effect upon the exhibition of melanoma. Until recently, it was assumed that overall exposure level to the sun and/or the amount of severe sunburns that an individual received during their lifetime or the ultimate culprits to whether or not melanoma was exhibited. However, further analysis and discussion by researchers has revealed the fact that the overall number of sunburns and/or the overall amount of time of exposure that individual has son is not necessarily a determining factor with respect to whether or not melanoma will be exhibited within the individual or not. As can readily be understood, genetic factors also play a powerful role in determining whether or not an individual will be particularly susceptible to this form of skin cancer. However, the genetic factors that contribute to the overall susceptibility and likelihood of developing melanoma at any one point in life are not the same as the genetic factors that contribute to issues such as heart disease, high blood pressure, or a litany of other health problems. What is meant by this is the fact that the genetic issues that contribute to the prevalence of melanoma within specific individuals are predicated upon the skin construction, hair color, eyes, and other unique genetic indicators. For instance, an individual that is born with a naturally darker complexion as compared to an individual that has blonde hair blue eyes and relatively pale or light skin is at a distinctly lower likelihood of developing melanoma within their lifetime (Gogas et al. 883). By means of comparison and contrast, an individual that has white features and relatively pale skin is at a much higher genetic risk of developing melanoma throughout their life. Due to this differential and dissimilarity, many individuals within the medical community War people against automatically assuming that merely because they do not have light complected features means that they stand no risk of developing melanoma within their lifetimes. In fact, research has shown that even though the preponderance of individuals and develop melanoma fall distinctly within this light complected demographic, there is still a significant risk that is exhibited to individuals who do not share the like complexions that denote the highest degree of risk (Bassoll 653). Like many forms of cancer, melanoma is the result of damaged cells reproducing themselves in a rather rapid manner. Ultimately, melanocytes, cells deep beneath the surface of the skin that are responsible for producing melanin, a substance that is used to provide pigment for the skin, begin to reproduce in a non-uniform fashion. Naturally, the runaway level of growth that these melanocytes exhibit necessarily impact upon their ability to continue to produce localized levels of melanin for the individual in question. Thankfully, due to the fact that the absence or overabundance of melanin in the skin creates a service abnormality, the cancer itself is discernible. For instance, an individual that is in the early stages of melanoma can oftentimes notice a distinct level of skin abnormality that alerts sent to the fact that they might have skin cancer present (Torjesen 346). More often than not, melanoma is represented by symptoms that dermatologists have denoted as: “A, B, C, D, E, F, G” (Pierce 15). As one might correctly assume, these are in fact acronyms for the symptoms that melanoma produces. As such, the A stands for abnormal; denoting that the skin formation and exhibition of symptoms on the surface of the individual skin will be abnormal and alert the individual as to the fact that something is wrong. Likewise, B stands for borders as the borders of the skin will be discolored around the edges of the cancer. Similarly, C stands for color as the color of the melanoma is invariably different from the remainder of the skin. Further, D stands for diameter; as the diameter of melanoma is typically no smaller than the size of a pencil eraser (Dzwierzynsk 447). E stands for evolutionary; meaning that the melanoma will not continue to exhibit the same size or shape – due to the fact that it grows over time. Finally F and G stand for firm to the touch and growing. Whereas it is possible for an individual to avoid direct or damaging ultraviolet light exposure in the form of tanning beds, avoiding ultraviolet light from the sun is difficult to accomplish. Moreover, due to the fact that individuals find it necessary to lead a healthy lifestyle and spend as much time outdoors as possible, the need for protecting oneself against the ultraviolet light of the sun becomes a primary concern. Outside of avoiding tanning beds and other sources of ultraviolet light at all costs, the individual should engage in preventive measures such as utilizing a liberal amount of sunscreen, covering one’s extremities, and wearing a hat that partially covers the face and/or the ears and neck; as these are oftentimes the most common areas in which skin cancers develop (Augustinus et al. 113). This is due to the fact that the most sensitive skin on the body, if exposed to regular levels of ultraviolet light, stands a greatly increased risk of developing a form of melanoma or other skin cancer as compared to other less sensitive areas of the body. However, an element of good news is contingent upon the fact that melanoma, even the most dangerous form of skin cancer, is one of the most treatable types of cancer and has an extraordinarily high survival rate (Schiffner et al 788). For instance, an individual that is diagnosed with melanoma, if it is localized, stands a 90% chance of living another five years. By means of comparison, if the melanoma has metastasized and is no longer localized, the individual still stands a 92% chance of surviving a further five years. When one compares these extraordinarily high survival rates as compared to the survival rates of other types of internal cancers, it is clearly apparent that melanoma is one of the most survivable forms of cancer that is currently known. However, even though melanoma is a relatively recognizable and treatable/preventable form of cancer, many individuals nonetheless die from this particular form of cancer (Rendleman et al. 14). As with many diseases, the ultimate reason behind this mortality rate has to do with the fact that individuals are unaware of the symptoms they are experiencing and tend to ignore them as they are not overly frustrating with regards to the way in which further life can be enjoyed. For instance, individual that oftentimes died of melanoma are invariably older individuals that have experienced a certain level of age spots, old, freckles, and discolored skin as they have matured. Accordingly, the exhibition of a particular dark spot or potentially metastasized role does not cause great alarm; this is partially due to the fact that the exhibition of the symptoms of melanoma does not generally cause a level of discomfort within the body of the individual who has it (Geisler et al. 2155). By means of comparison and contrast, colorectal cancer or another form of internal cancer exhibits a litany of painful and disquieting symptoms and encourage the individual to seek out immediate medical aid. Even though melanoma does not have particularly high rate of death associated with it, the dangers from this form of cancer, specifically due to the fact that it is not often recognized immediately, is something that the medical community and individual stakeholder in society should be well aware of. Finally, as compared to many of the other forms of cancer that is herein been reference, melanoma is the most preventable all. Even with an individual who is at a genetic predisposition for developing melanoma has the ability to ensure that they minimize the amount of damage that ultraviolet light can impact upon their bodies. Further, as a means of understanding the symptoms and seeking out medical attention once the core representations of melanoma are exhibited, it is highly likely that the overall death rate associated with this particular form of cancer will continue to decrease with time. Accordingly, understanding the symptoms and alerting individuals that stand a high risk of developing it is a fundamental component of seeking to reduce the overall rates of death that are associated with this damaging form of skin cancer. Works Cited Augustinus P.T., Ploeg, et al. "The Prognostic Significance Of Sentinel Node Tumour Burden In Melanoma Patients: An International, Multicenter Study Of 1539 Sentinel Node-Positive Melanoma Patients." European Journal Of Cancer 50.1 (2014): 111-120. CINAHL. Web. 19 Feb. 2014. BASSOLL, Sara, et al. "Negative Pigment Network Identifies A Peculiar Melanoma Subtype And Represents A Clue To Melanoma Diagnosis: A Dermoscopic Study Of 401 Melanomas." Acta Dermato-Venereologica 93.6 (2013): 650-655. Academic Search Complete. Web. 19 Feb. 2014. Dzwierzynski, William W. "Managing Malignant Melanoma." Plastic And Reconstructive Surgery 132.3 (2013): 446e-460e. MEDLINE. Web. 19 Feb. 2014. Geisler, Jürgen, et al. "Malignant Melanoma--Diagnosis, Treatment And Follow-Up In Norway." Tidsskrift For Den Norske Lægeforening: Tidsskrift For Praktisk Medicin, Ny Række 133.20 (2013): 2154-2159. MEDLINE. Web. 19 Feb. 2014. Gogas, Helen, Aristidis Polyzos, and John Kirkwood. "Immunotherapy For Advanced Melanoma: Fulfilling The Promise." Cancer Treatment Reviews 39.8 (2013): 879-885. CINAHL Complete. Web. 19 Feb. 2014. Ingraffea, Adam. "Melanoma." Facial Plastic Surgery Clinics Of North America 21.1 (2013): 33-42. MEDLINE. Web. 19 Feb. 2014. Pierce, Tanya H. Outsmart your cancer : alternative non-toxic treatments that work. Stateline, Nev: Thoughtworks Pub, 2009. Print. Rendleman, Justin, et al. "Melanoma Risk Loci As Determinants Of Melanoma Recurrence And Survival." Journal Of Translational Medicine 11.1 (2013): 1-32. Academic Search Complete. Web. 19 Feb. 2014. Schiffner, Susanne, et al. "Highly Pigmented Tg(Grm1) Mouse Melanoma Develops Non-Pigmented Melanoma Cells In Distant Metastases." Experimental Dermatology 21.10 (2012): 786-788. MEDLINE. Web. 19 Feb. 2014. Torjesen, Ingrid. "Sentinel Node Biopsy For Melanoma: Unnecessary Treatment?." BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.) 346.(2013): e8645.MEDLINE. Web. 19 Feb. 2014. Read More