MelanomaAva
Statistics8,700 people die from
Melanoma each year in the US
68,000 people are diagnosed with melanoma each year in the US
Sixth most common cancer in US
Melanoma Rates Are Increasing
Risk Factors Fair skin, blue or green eyes,
red or blond hair
Close relatives with a history of melanoma
Exposure to cancerous causing chemicals such as arsenic, coal tar, and creosote
Presence of multiple birthmarks
Weakened immune system from AIDS, leukemia, organ transplant, certain medications
If you have previously had melanoma
HistoryJohn Hunter discovered fist tumor in 1787
Wasn’t recognized as a disease until 1806 by Rene Laennec
Samuel Cooper in 1840 found that melanoma is untreatable past its first stages
In 1956 Henry Lancaster made the connection between sunlight intensity and development of melanoma
Types of MelanomaSuperficial Spreading Melanoma
Nodular Melanoma
Lentigo Maligna melanoma
Acral Lentiginous melanoma
Melanoma of the eye
Normal Melanocytes
“This shows an even distribution of dendritic melanocytes within the basal layer of the epidermis”
Stage 0
Stage I
Some of the melanocytes are atypical, and their numbers increase.
Melanoma Lesions
Stage I•Thin melanoma of the skin
•Treatments•surgery
•90% survival rate
Stage II
Radical Growth Phase (RGP) Melanoma
Stage II•Medium or thick melanoma of the skin
•Treatments•Surgery removing affected area and sampling the lymph nodes
•Sometimes radiation is used
•75% Survival Rate
Stage III
Vertical Growth Phase (VGP)Leads directly to metastasis
Stage III•Lumps of melanoma close to or in that region but a ways from the primary skin lesion, lymph node involvement, or both
•Treatments•Surgery to remove tumors, surrounding area, and lymph nodes
•Sometimes radiation
•High-dose interferon-alpha for a year
•30-60% Survival rate depending on extent of disease
Stage IV•Spread to distant sites in the body or lymph nodes several levels beyond the skin area of the primary lesion
•Treatments•Surgery and radiation
•Systemic drugs
•Experimental treatments
•Less than 10% survival rate
Sources http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001853
http://www.oncolink.org/types/article.cfm?c=18&s=63&ss=861&id=9623
http://www.cancerquest.org/
http://www.medicinenet.com/biological_therapy/article.htm
http://www.mamashealth.com/cancer/melanoma.asp
http://www.sunislife.com/ART_sunscreenscancer2.html
http://www.malignant-melanoma.net/who-discovered-melanoma.php
http://www.melanomahopenetwork.org/Section.asp?SID=2200&N=Treatment%20Options
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v445/n7130/fig_tab/nature05661_F1.html