Melanoma: Risks, Treatment Options, and More

When it comes to skin cancer, early detection is important. Early diagnosis leads to better outcomes and more successful treatment options.

Nearly 80,000 new cases of melanoma are diagnosed each year, resulting in more than 10,000 deaths annually. “The incidence of melanoma is increasing by 2.6% each year, faster than almost all other malignancies,” said the chief of the Nebraska School of Medicine’s Department of Surgical Oncology. Joshua MV Mamen, M.D., Ph.D.. “It is one of the fastest growing cancers in the United States, with an estimated 1 in 53 people developing melanoma at some point in their lives.”

What types of skin cancer are there?

Skin cancer can occur anywhere, but it often occurs on the head and neck due to increased exposure to the sun. Basal cell carcinoma is the most common, followed by squamous cell carcinoma, melanoma, Merkel cell carcinoma, and sweat gland carcinoma. Melanoma is one of the most serious skin cancers.

What causes melanoma and who is at risk?

Sun exposure is the most common cause of all skin cancers. You can reduce your risk by using sunscreen and reducing your UV exposure. If you are at high risk of developing melanoma or have had melanoma in the past, your dermatologist may recommend frequent visits.

5 risk factors you can’t control:

1. Skin type

• Ethnic background: Whites are at higher risk, 10x higher than blacks and 7x higher than Hispanics
• People with fair skin, red hair, and blue eyes are at higher risk

2. Age

• Younger skin is more sensitive to UV damage than older skin
• Risk of skin cancer increases with age

3. Gender

• Overall, men have a higher risk of developing melanoma (a 1.7-fold increase), while incidence rates are rising among young women

4. History of melanoma

• If you have had melanoma before, your risk of developing melanoma again increases 900-fold (3% to 7%).

5. Mole

• More moles increases risk (more than 50 increases risk by 5-17 times).

Three risk factors you can control:

1. UV Exposure: Reducing sun exposure reduces the risk of skin cancer.

2. Sunburn: Avoid sunburn to reduce risk. The number of severe and painful sunburns experienced, especially at a young age, makes a difference. If he has 10 or more episodes in his life, his risk of developing skin cancer doubles.

3. Avoid using tanning beds: Using tanning beds increases the risk of melanoma, and UV light is classified as a carcinogen by the World Health Organization.

How is melanoma diagnosed and treated?

Melanoma is often diagnosed when you go for a routine screening test or an evaluation of a mole that bothers you. If anything is suspicious, a dermatologist will do a biopsy. The tissue is examined under a microscope to check for traces of skin cancer cells.

Treatment of melanoma is most effective when detected early, the treatment required is less aggressive, and the outcome is better.

The main treatment for melanoma is surgery. The amount of tissue removed depends on the thickness of the melanoma (how deep it penetrates the skin). “The thicker the melanoma, the larger the margin needed during surgery to remove it all,” says Dr. Mamen. “The length of the incision he makes is 2.5 to 4 to 5 inches.”

genetic test

If a young person is diagnosed with melanoma, they should consider seeing a genetic counselor to get a thorough family history and discuss having a genetic panel test.

clinical trials A study is underway at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, an academic partner of Nebraska Medicine, to see if smaller surgeries are possible for patients with stage 2 melanoma. Less tissue removal is expected than before (fewer surgeries and less scarring). Nebraska Medicine is the only site in Nebraska to conduct this trial.

Learn more about how Nebraska Medicine treats melanoma and other skin cancers.

How to know if melanoma has spread

Possible metastasis is detected by examination of the skin and lymph nodes. Lymph nodes are the most common places where melanoma spreads. In some people, a sentinel lymph node biopsy requires the removal of certain lymph nodes to see if melanoma has spread. A biopsy is recommended if the melanoma is thicker than 0.8 millimeters or in young people who are at high risk.

What if the melanoma has spread?

Even if melanoma has spread to the lymph nodes, there are treatment options. In such cases, immunotherapy is an effective tool to help a person’s immune system fight cancer.

“Immunotherapy drips have turned out to be a highly effective new treatment that is less toxic than chemotherapy and helps the body find and kill cancer cells,” added Dr. Mamen. “We have also found that additional surgery is not always necessary, so we are closely monitoring the patient’s progress, including appropriate testing.”

Can melanoma come back?

Melanoma can recur. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, if melanoma recurs, it will most likely come back within his first five years. Doctors closely monitor people with melanoma because they are also at increased risk of developing other skin cancers.

Melanoma can come back in the area where it first formed, but it can also come back in the lymph nodes. The third most common location is the lungs. Because of these additional risks, doctors closely monitor all these areas with appropriate screenings and tests.

Learn more about Zach’s melanoma history.

Best defense against melanoma and other skin cancers

Even though the risk is high, there are things you can do to prevent melanoma.

get a skin test every year

Regularly examine your skin Examine it for any suspicious spots or moles (or ask your partner to help). If you have any concerns, get an annual skin test and see a dermatologist.

use sunscreen

“Young people’s skin is particularly sensitive to UV light. We know that the more you get tanned at a young age, the greater your risk of skin cancer,” says Dr. Mamen. “We recommend a sunscreen with SPF 30. It’s proven to block over 97% of UV rays, so higher SPF doesn’t mean more protection. For continued skin protection. , don’t forget to reapply.”

Do base tans help prevent harmful sunburns?

“Sunburn is evidence of DNA damage, so you see this skin damage whenever you notice a sunburn,” added Dr. Mamen. “We do not recommend intentionally basal tanning, especially tanning beds and lamps, which are associated with the development of skin cancer and melanoma.”

Are you procrastinating for a skin test?Call now to schedule a dermatologist appointment 800.922.0000.