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What Are Symptoms Of Malignant Melanoma ? |
By:
Adrian Fletcher |
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What Are Symptoms Of Malignant Melanoma ?
Adrian Fletcher
The full extent to which skin cancer is affecting the population has prompted more research and more publicity on preventing the disease. It is thought that skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States and Australia and is increasing rapidly in many other countries.
Whilst you might think that this is cause for concern, most forms of skin cancer are easy to treat and don't pose a threat to life. Also the signs and symptoms of skin cancer are generally on the surface of the skin so are easy to spot. this means they can be treated early on, ensuring complete success.
However malignant melanoma does not fit into this category. If not spotted early and treated it can spread. Ultimately it can be life threatening if not treated early enough. This article will detail what is malignant melanoma and the best ways to avoid getting this disease.
There are two factors that are thought to cause cancer. These are your genetic makeup and exposure to one or more environmental conditions. As far as malignant melanoma is concerned, the environmental condition that causes the disease is ultraviolet radiation (UVA and UVB radiation - ultraviolet radiation on different wavelengths). We are exposed to UVA and UVB radiation everyday as it comes from the Sun.
Depending on your genetic makeup, too much ultraviolet radiation can cause the DNA of one or more cells to mutate. The genes within the DNA transform to be called oncogenes. They promote tumor growth and make the cell cancerous. A cancerous cell will divide and proliferate rather than die like many other cells that are damaged. This proliferation can sometime be rapid and the cancerous cells can become invasive.
This means they interfere with surrounding tissue or organs causing them to malfunction or be destroyed. If cancerous cells get into the bloodstream or lymphatic system, then they can spread to other parts of the body. This is known as metastasizing. When cancer spreads to the rest of the body it gets very difficult to treat.
Whilst the primary cause of malignant melanoma is exposure to sunlight there are a number of genetic factors that are thought to increase the chances of developing the disease.
Your skin type can mean you are more at risk to the disease. If you have pale skin that doesn't tan but burns easily in the sun then you are more at risk. If your skin has freckles or you have blond or red hair then you are more at risk. If you have lots of moles on your body you may also be at risk. However, it is thought that people born with moles on their bodies are at less risk. If anyone in your family has had skin cancer then your risk of getting the disease increases.
The first signs of a melanoma are typically a brown spot or mark on the skin. It may be hard to distinguish from other moles on your body but keep an eye on it. If it starts to change it's shape and grow into an irregular shape then it may be more than just a mole. If it starts to change color too then it may be more than a mole. If anything like this happens then see your skin specialist.
It is virtually impossible to completely avoid sunlight and thus prevent melanoma. The only thing that is practical is to take measure to avoid being over exposed to the Sun. This means always wearing a hat and sunglasses. Wear clothing that covers most of your body. Put sunscreen on areas that are not covered by the clothing, like the face or arms.
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Article Source: http://www.statssheet.com/articles/article75368.html |
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