LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Melanoma: Skin
built 643 days ago
Melanoma is the most aggressive of the three forms of skin cancer. It originates in pigment forming skin cells called melanocytes, and can form anywhere on the skin including under the nails. However, it is most often found on the trunk, head or neck. Signs of melanoma include moles that change in shape, size, or color; have more than one color; or itch, ooze or bleed. When monitoring moles on the body, individuals should pay close attention to the three characteristics of cancerous tissue:
Source:
Melanoma is a form of skin cancer characterized by the uncontrolled growth of pigment-producing cells (melanocytes) located in the skin. As with many cancers, it is more difficult to treat once the disease has spread beyond the skin to other parts of the body by way of the bloodstream or the lymphatic system (metastatic disease). Melanoma accounts for about three percent of skin cancer cases, but it causes most skin cancer deaths. The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2007 there will be 59,940 new cases of melanoma in the U.S., and about 8,110 people will die of this disease.
Source:
Melanoma is a very serious form of skin cancer that accounts for the majority of skin-cancer related deaths each year. The number of people diagnosed with melanoma worldwide is rapidly increasing with more than 53,000 new cases diagnosed annually in the U.S. While the chance of developing melanoma increases with age, it remains one of the most common cancers in young adults. This type of cancer begins in specific cells in the skin and can metastasize, or spread, throughout the body to many organ systems. No significant advances in the treatment of metastatic melanoma have occurred over the past 30 years. Patients with stage 4 metastatic melanoma have a median survival of 6 - 9 months.
Source:
Melanoma is a cancerous (malignant) tumor that begins in the melanocytes. Melanocytes are the cells that produce the skin coloring or protective pigment called melanin. Melanin helps protect the deeper layers of the skin from the harmful effects of sun rays. Melanoma cells still produce melanin, but the cells grow uncontrollably. This is why melanoma cancers have mixed shades of tan, brown and black skin cells.
Source:
Melanoma is a cancer of the neural crest-derived cells that provide pigmentation to skin and other tissues. Over the past 4 decades, the incidence of melanoma has increased more rapidly than that of any other malignancy in the United States. The National Cancer Institute reports a 2 percent increase in the incidence of melanoma between 1992 and 2002. New melanoma cases are diagnosed in about 60,000 people each year in the United States, and almost 8,000 die because of metastasized melanoma. Although melanoma accounts for only 4 percent of all dermatologic cancers, it is responsible for 80 percent of deaths from skin cancer; only 14 percent of patients with metastatic melanoma survive for five years.
Source:
Melanoma can occur on any skin surface. In men, it is often found on the trunk (the area from the shoulders to the hips) or the head and neck. In women, melanoma often develops on the lower legs. Melanoma is rare in black people and others with dark skin. When it does develop in dark-skinned people, it tends to occur under the fingernails or toenails, or on the palms or soles. The chance of developing melanoma increases with age, but this disease affects people of all age groups.
Source:
MORE ABOUT
Skin