Question

C. What is the treatment 2. Debra Smith has noticed a dark-colored area on her left arm. She first noticed this area 3 to 4 ago. The area seems to be getting darker and the shape of the area has changed recently. The p weeks physician has diagnosed Debra with malignant melanoma. A. Where does this tumor usually metastasize? B. What risk factors might Debra have for developing melanoma? C. How is melanoma diagnosed? D. What is the prognosis for melanoma?

Answer 1

A. Metastases include the lymph nodes, lungs, liver, intestines, skin, bones and brain.

B. Risk factors are weak immune system, less pigment skin, indoor tanning, unusual moles, history of sunburn/Excessive ultraviolet light exposure, genetic conditions and  family history of melanoma.

C. An excisional biopsy is the best approach for melanoma diagnosis. The suspected melanoma lesion should be removed completely with a vertical and a horizontal margin. Excision of the entire lesion is recommended at the time of original removal, primarily because prognosis is based on the measurement of the thickness of the tumor from the granular cell layer in the epidermis to the deepest malignant cell. Breslow's depth is determined by using an ocular micrometer at a right angle to the skin to directly measure the depth to which tumor cells have invaded the skin. The level of melanoma is assessed as per Clark's stages.

D. Prognosis is related to the thickness of the melanoma. Other factors includes the anatomic depth of penetration, ulceration, mitotic activity and stage of the melanoma. Removal the entire melanoma at its earliest stage to preclude the possibility of metastatic spread. Also, new genetic tests are available that can help predict a particular tumor's sensitivity of a variety chemotherapy regimens.