Melanoma: photo, treatment, symptoms, initial stage
What it is? Coming into this world, a person is born with clean skin. Moles - nevi, unlike birthmarks appear on the body during life, starting at six months of age, and have their own personal life cycle.
The structure of nevi consists of pigment cells - melanin and melanocytes. It is from the nevus cells, melanocytes, the beginning of a particularly dangerous malignant formation - the melanoma.
Consequence of the degeneration of melanocytes and cells producing melanin-melanoblasts. Many years, tumor formation develops in the basal, superficial layer of the epidermis, without revealing itself.
In the initial stage, melanoma is small, no more than 0.5 cm, soft consistency, smooth, dry, without hairs, surface. Due to the content of a large amount of melanin in its cells, it has a dark color, but occasionally a non-pigment variant is also found.
As a result, any provoking factors, individual cells of the formation grow into the depth, expanding, increasing the volume of the tumor. Melanoma cells do not have close contact with one another. It is this feature - the lack of close adhesion, which makes it possible for cells to easily detach from the total mass of the tumor, which subsequently leads to the development of rapid metastasis. And in this period, almost can not be cured.
In its majority, for medical help, the consultation comes when moles bleed, or itches, and almost no one pays due attention to the fact that the size, contour or color of the nevus has changed, the rapid growth of a new nevus, which is the main clinicalmanifestation of melanoma.
In most patients, at the beginning of the treatment process, the disease is in the region of a regionally common nature, which does not guarantee even a five-year survival rate for half of the patients.
In addition to the epidermis of melanoma, although rare, it can affect:
To find out what the initial stage of melanoma looks like and not only, let us familiarize with the photo.
Melanoma of knotty form. Formation of the neoplasm occurs at the epidermal junction, from which it spreads in the vertical direction. Innerepitelnye tumor cells are localized in small groups. In general, the disease affects the male half of humanity.
Collapsing, superficial shape. The formation is irregular in shape, slightly elevated above the epidermis. The localization of melanocytes can be located in all layers of the epidermis and in the subcutaneous tissue, being located singly, in nests or in the form of nodular formations, mainly on the back. It develops slowly, expanding in any direction.
Lentioglous melanoma. Novel formation is like a large, flat freckle. Melanocytes, forming nests, are localized in the epithelial layer, sometimes penetrating into the inner layer of the skin. It affects the head, neck and back of the limbs. It occurs in women of seventy years of age and older. Develops for years, growing in different directions.
Lentigio-acral form. Rare type of tumor. Men of Negroid and Asian races are struck from the age of sixty. The skin of the palms, the soles and the subungual bed are affected. Therefore, it is often confused with plantar warts or subungual hematomas.
Desmoplasticheskaya form. Peculiarity of the tumor is the location in the immediate vicinity of the nerve fibers and the possibility of transformation from the lentigo or lentigo-acral form of melanoma. They are often confused with neurofibroma and dermatofibroma. Women are mostly exposed.
There is no consensus on the cause of skin cancer. Various versions are being put forward. In recent years, even arose a statement about the fungal and helminth origin of the tumor, which was born in the embryonic period.
Officially approve or refute this version no one takes, as well as the statement about the role of UV exposure to the skin. With this one could agree, but how, the fact that melanoma can appear in places inaccessible to sunlight - in the groin, the vagina, in the mouth?
Avoiding disputes and conflicts between researchers defending their positions, the cause of manifestation of the disease is considered to be risk factors for malignant nevus.
These include:
The most common localization of melanoma is the face, neck, back and limbs.
Is manifested:
The main criterion in the preparation of a plan for the treatment of melanoma is the determination of the stage of development of pathology.
The first stage of the disease is characterized by the lack of metastasis and the depth of penetration of tumor formation to one millimeter.
In the second stage of the lesion, there is a slight metastasis of the skin and penetration into the lymph nodes. In this case, the tumor penetrates deep into a distance of more than one millimeter.
In the third stage adjacent sections of the skin are affected and nearby lymph nodes are liable to metastasis.
The fourth stage is terminal. Cure is impossible, since many internal organs are affected.
The main methods of treatment of the disease are:
Even the current level of development of medicine does not guarantee a favorable outcome. In every third case, the disease ends with death. The most that can be done is to prolong the life of the patient, at least for five years.
Avoiding the effects of provoking factors is the main recommendation for prevention. Especially light-skinned people should avoid sunburn and excessive ultraviolet exposure, and skin areas where birthmarks and many pigmented birthmarks are located. At the slightest changes - the configuration, color, size, etc.you must immediately contact a specialist.
Early diagnosis and timely excision of problematic nevi, prevent their degeneration into melanoma.
The structure of nevi consists of pigment cells - melanin and melanocytes. It is from the nevus cells, melanocytes, the beginning of a particularly dangerous malignant formation - the melanoma.
Consequence of the degeneration of melanocytes and cells producing melanin-melanoblasts. Many years, tumor formation develops in the basal, superficial layer of the epidermis, without revealing itself.
In the initial stage, melanoma is small, no more than 0.5 cm, soft consistency, smooth, dry, without hairs, surface. Due to the content of a large amount of melanin in its cells, it has a dark color, but occasionally a non-pigment variant is also found.
As a result, any provoking factors, individual cells of the formation grow into the depth, expanding, increasing the volume of the tumor. Melanoma cells do not have close contact with one another. It is this feature - the lack of close adhesion, which makes it possible for cells to easily detach from the total mass of the tumor, which subsequently leads to the development of rapid metastasis. And in this period, almost can not be cured.
In its majority, for medical help, the consultation comes when moles bleed, or itches, and almost no one pays due attention to the fact that the size, contour or color of the nevus has changed, the rapid growth of a new nevus, which is the main clinicalmanifestation of melanoma.
In most patients, at the beginning of the treatment process, the disease is in the region of a regionally common nature, which does not guarantee even a five-year survival rate for half of the patients.
In addition to the epidermis of melanoma, although rare, it can affect:
- the choroid of the eye;
- of the subungual plates;
- mucous membranes of the rectum and vagina;
- conjunctiva and nasal cavity;
- the scalp.
Melanoma: photo the initial stage of
To find out what the initial stage of melanoma looks like and not only, let us familiarize with the photo.
Classification of melanoma
Melanoma of knotty form. Formation of the neoplasm occurs at the epidermal junction, from which it spreads in the vertical direction. Innerepitelnye tumor cells are localized in small groups. In general, the disease affects the male half of humanity.
Collapsing, superficial shape. The formation is irregular in shape, slightly elevated above the epidermis. The localization of melanocytes can be located in all layers of the epidermis and in the subcutaneous tissue, being located singly, in nests or in the form of nodular formations, mainly on the back. It develops slowly, expanding in any direction.
Lentioglous melanoma. Novel formation is like a large, flat freckle. Melanocytes, forming nests, are localized in the epithelial layer, sometimes penetrating into the inner layer of the skin. It affects the head, neck and back of the limbs. It occurs in women of seventy years of age and older. Develops for years, growing in different directions.
Lentigio-acral form. Rare type of tumor. Men of Negroid and Asian races are struck from the age of sixty. The skin of the palms, the soles and the subungual bed are affected. Therefore, it is often confused with plantar warts or subungual hematomas.
Desmoplasticheskaya form. Peculiarity of the tumor is the location in the immediate vicinity of the nerve fibers and the possibility of transformation from the lentigo or lentigo-acral form of melanoma. They are often confused with neurofibroma and dermatofibroma. Women are mostly exposed.
Cause of melanoma
There is no consensus on the cause of skin cancer. Various versions are being put forward. In recent years, even arose a statement about the fungal and helminth origin of the tumor, which was born in the embryonic period.
Officially approve or refute this version no one takes, as well as the statement about the role of UV exposure to the skin. With this one could agree, but how, the fact that melanoma can appear in places inaccessible to sunlight - in the groin, the vagina, in the mouth?
Avoiding disputes and conflicts between researchers defending their positions, the cause of manifestation of the disease is considered to be risk factors for malignant nevus.
These include:
- increased insolation - solar radiation;
- genetic and endocrine factors;
- pigmentary moles, located in places of friction and frequent trauma;
- factor of colored skin, light eyes and hair;
- the presence of a large number of lenticuli - freckles and pigmented moles and spots;
- result of weak immunity and AIDS.
Symptoms of melanoma
The most common localization of melanoma is the face, neck, back and limbs.
Is manifested:
- itching, soreness and loss of hair on the site of the mole;
- change in color pigmentation;
- intensive nevus growth and the appearance of nodules on or near the mole;
- bleeding nevus in case of lesions and changes in pigmentation around pigmented spots;
- changes in shape and shape;
- ulcerous manifestations on the surface of the nevus;
- appearance of the seals of the mole and the proximal lymph nodes;
- structural changes in the surface of the nevus;
- presence of asymmetry in the surface layer of the mole;
- focal pigmentation around the perimeter of a mole;
Diagnosis of melanoma
- 1) The initial stage of diagnosis consists of a visual examination of the patient's skin, to reveal pathological manifestations on the skin - dermatoscopy with magnifying optics.
- 2) The use of excisional biopsy is used to take a tissue sample directly from the tumor site.
- 3) The biopsy is used to collect material for histological studies.
- 4) Computer and isotope scanning, magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography perform diagnostics of possible lesions in internal organs.
- 5) Confocal microscopy based on infrared radiation examines all skin layers to determine the depth of lesion and the stage of tumor development.
Treatment of melanoma
The main criterion in the preparation of a plan for the treatment of melanoma is the determination of the stage of development of pathology.
The first stage of the disease is characterized by the lack of metastasis and the depth of penetration of tumor formation to one millimeter.
In the second stage of the lesion, there is a slight metastasis of the skin and penetration into the lymph nodes. In this case, the tumor penetrates deep into a distance of more than one millimeter.
In the third stage adjacent sections of the skin are affected and nearby lymph nodes are liable to metastasis.
The fourth stage is terminal. Cure is impossible, since many internal organs are affected.
The main methods of treatment of the disease are:
- 1) Various surgical operations - excision of flaps, or complete removal, of the affected tissue by the method of plastic technologies.
- 2) Laser excision of the tumor by evaporation;
- 3) Radio wave method of nevus removal;
- 4) Cryodestructive method of removing moles, by the action of liquid nitrogen, causing necrosis and rejection of the affected nevus;
- 5) The method of photonecrosis of cancer cells, to strengthen immunity, the formation of antibodies against metastases, resorption of the tumor.
- 6) Application of the innovative technique - targeted chemotherapy, the use of selective drugs, without affecting healthy cells.
- 7) In severe cases, the use of chemotherapy with the use of cytostatics - effective antitumor drugs.
- 8) In the postoperative period, with relapses and metastases, radiotherapy is used.
Prognosis and prevention of the disease
Even the current level of development of medicine does not guarantee a favorable outcome. In every third case, the disease ends with death. The most that can be done is to prolong the life of the patient, at least for five years.
Avoiding the effects of provoking factors is the main recommendation for prevention. Especially light-skinned people should avoid sunburn and excessive ultraviolet exposure, and skin areas where birthmarks and many pigmented birthmarks are located. At the slightest changes - the configuration, color, size, etc.you must immediately contact a specialist.
Early diagnosis and timely excision of problematic nevi, prevent their degeneration into melanoma.