Malignant Melanoma
Did You Know?
- Excessive sun exposure can result in painful sunburn, but can also lead to other serious health problems, including melanoma, a life-threatening form of skin cancer.
- Melanoma is one of {the} fastest-growing forms of cancer.
- Children are at greatest risk, since serious sunburns during {the} originally 18 years of life is believed to increase {the} risk of cancer by more than 50%.
- For those with sun-sensitive skin, fair complexions, light hair, or for those who spend excessive amounts of time in {the} sun
- in 1983, Drs. Kopf, Friedman and Rigel developed {the} A, B, C, D technique for diagnosing melanoma
- surface characteristics that can be seen by all, patients and doctors alike.
- A .... asymmetry,
- B .....border irregularity,
- C .....color variation
- D.....diameter over 6mm (1/4 of an inch).
Asymmetry not regularly round or regularly oval Border notched, scalloped or poorly defined at {the} edges Color variation shades of brown, tan, red, white, blue or black alone or in any combination Diameter 6mm ({the} size of a pencil eraser) - surface characteristics that can be seen by all, patients and doctors alike.
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What is it?
- Malignant melanoma represents approximately 5% of all skin cancers. Never {the} less, ALMOST 2/3 OF ALL DEATHS FROM SKIN CANCER ARE DUE TO MALIGNANT MELANOMA!
- Most cutaneous (skin) melanomas seem to develop without a history of a nevus.
The four forms of cutaneous melanoma are
1) lentigo maligna melanoma
2) superficial spreading melanoma
3) nodular melanoma
4) acral lentiginous melanoma. -
Who gets them?
- Primary malignant melanomas of {the} eyelid are extremely rare; they amount to 1% of all eyelid cancers.
- It has been estimated that an American's current lifetime risk for developing a skin melanoma is 1 in 128.
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Where do they Occur?
- Lentigo maligna (Hutchinson's melanotic freckle) is considered {the} premalignant lesion of lentigo maligna melanoma. It a represents 10% of all skin melanomas is {the} most common form in {the} head and neck areas.
- They are usually flat, tan to brown macule with irregular borders.
- Within {the} lesion, there may possibly also be areas of white and grey. They most offen occur on sun-exposed facial skin in {the} elderly.
- Superficial spreading melanoma is considered {the} more common form of melanoma. It represents 70% of skin melanomas. It usuallly involves nonexposed skin surfaces. It may possibly appear on {the} nonexposed skin surfaces and a grow faster than lentigo maligna.
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Are they dangerous?
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Treatment
- A patient with a suspected eyelid melanoma should have a careful examination, an incisional biopsy, and may possibly ultimately require complete excision of {the} lesion and follow-up with an oncologist since this tumor can spread throughout {the} body.
- Excision of {the} tumor can be performed by a MOHS surgeon, an dermatologist, or an ophthalmic plastic surgeon.
Procedures
- Home
- Anophthalmos
- Blepharoplasty
- Blepharospasm
- Brow Lift
- Congenital
- Dry Eye
- Eyelid Laxity
- Face
- Infections
- Inflammation
- Lacrimal System
- Lagophthalmos
- Latisse
- Locate an MD
- Orbital Tumors
- Ptosis
- Skin Rejuvenation
- Skin Tumors
- Symblepharon
- Thyroid
- Trauma