Melanoma

The most serious type of skin cancer, melanoma affects the cells that give our skin its color. Although it can spread easily, it is curable when treated early. This cancer forms when the cells that make melanin grow abnormally or do not die when they should. These cells, called melanocytes, are found in our skin’s outer layer. Melanoma typically begins in a mole or birthmark but can form in other tissues with pigmentation, such as your eye. When melanoma develops in the eye, it is called Intraocular Melanoma. Protect yourself by avoiding overexposure from the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Stay vigilant of any changes in your skin, especially if you have the skin disease Xeroderma pigmentosum, which makes you sensitive to light. You are also more likely to develop melanoma if someone in your family has been previously diagnosed with this specific type of cancer.

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QWhat are the treatment options for stage 4 melanoma?

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A Sigma Nursing answered

Treatment for stage 4 melanoma is usually more aggressive than earlier stages, because the cancer has spread from the original site. Treatment may involve surgical removal of the growth and the lymph nodes in the nearby area, as well as removal of other melanomas. However, this won't get rid of all the cancer. Doctors may recommend other treatments such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy (using the body's immune system to fight cancer cells), or targeted therapy (targeting cancer cells by their particular genetic makeup), all of which which can help kill cancerous cells that have spread to other parts of the body. Side effects of these treatments can be harsh, and their success may depend on several factors, such as age and overall condition. Clinical trials may be recommended. Palliative care may be recommended as well, to improve quality of life if intervention is not expected to help.
QWhat are the treatment options for uveal melanoma?

1 Answer

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A Sigma Nursing answered

Treatment options for uveal melanoma depend on several factors, including the size and location of the tumor and the age of the person affected. A tiny tumor may require watchful waiting, monitoring the progress of the disease to see if it requires intervention. But the most common treatment is surgery. The type of surgery depends on the severity of the cancer. If the tumor is small, doctors will remove just the growth and a little bit of the surrounding tissue. If the tumor is larger, or causing complications like glaucoma, doctors may have to remove the entire eye, and in some cases, the eyelid and surrounding nerves and muscles.

Other types of treatment may be used to try to kill cancerous cells. Radiation therapy uses high-energy rays directed toward the growth to destroy the cancerous cells. Photocoagulation uses a laser to destroy tumors. Thermotherapy uses heat in the form of ultrasound, microwaves or lasers to kill the melanoma cells. Targeted therapy uses chemicals designed specifically to target cancer cells by their genes. Some patients may take part in clinical trials in which new treatment options are explored.
QWhat are my chances of surviving melanoma?

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A Dr. Philip A. Friedlander, MD , Oncology, answered on behalf of The Mount Sinai Health System

For stage IV metastatic melanoma, life expectancy is around 8 to 10 months. In this video, Philip Friedlander, MD, an oncologist at The Mount Sinai Medical Center, discusses survivability rates for melanoma.

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QWhat is melanoma?

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A Riverside Cancer Care Center answered

Melanocytes are found throughout the lower part of the epidermis. They make melanin, the pigment that gives skin its natural color. When skin is exposed to the sun, melanocytes make more pigment, causing the skin to tan, or darken.
The skin is the body's largest organ. It protects against heat, sunlight, injury, and infection. The skin has 2 main layers: the epidermis (upper or outer layer) and the dermis (lower or inner layer).
When melanoma starts in the skin, the disease is called cutaneous melanoma. This PDQ summary is about cutaneous (skin) melanoma. Melanoma may also occur in the eye and is called intraocular or ocular melanoma.
There are 3 types of skin cancer:
Melanoma Basal cell skin cancer Squamous cell skin cancer
Melanoma is more aggressive than basal cell skin cancer or squamous cell skin cancer.
This answer is based on source information from the National Cancer Institute.

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