Melanoma
By Ashlyn, Alea, and
Mackenzie
Definition of Melanoma (skin cancer)
What happens to the cells?
● In melanoma abnormal cells grow uncontrollably
making a tumor. These cells can spread to other
parts of the body and avoid detection by the
immune system.
What part of the body does melanoma generally affect?
● Melanoma usually affects the skin but it can also
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Description of the symptoms
● New spots on the skin or changes in an existing
mole, such as changes in color, size, or shape.
● Moles that look different from others, known as
"ugly duckling" moles.
● Persistent itching, tenderness, or pain around a mole
or skin lesion.
● Dark streaks under fingernails or toenails, or dark
spots on the palms, soles, or mucous membranes.
● Swollen lymph nodes
● Difficulty breathing, persistent cough, or chest pain
if melanoma spreads to the lungs. MM
Possible causes of Melanoma
Are there environmental or health factors that can cause
melanoma?
● UV radiation
● History of sun burns as a kid
● Light hair, Light eyes, and fair skin
● Tanning beds
Can melanoma be inherited?
● There is a higher risk you could have of getting
melanoma if your relatives may have it.
● Genetic mutations can raise risk of melanoma
● Most cases of melanoma are not inherited, but you can
gain it from certain environments. AA
How to prevent melanoma
1. Ways to prevent melanoma is to say in the shade.
2. Wear clothing that covers your arms and legs.
3. Wear a hat with a wide brim to shade your face,
head, ears, neck.
4. Wear sunglasses that wrap around and block both
UVA and UVB rays.
5. Use a broad spectrum sunscreen with a sun
protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher.
6. Avoid tanning.
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How melanoma is treated
● Surgery
● Immunotherapy
● Targeted therapy
● Radiation therapy
● Chemotherapy
● Clinical trials
● Follow up an monitoring
● Preventive measures
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How melanoma is diagnosed
What tests are done?
● Skin Biopsy- A procedure where a doctor removes a small
sample of suspicious skin to check for melanoma.
● Imaging Tests- Takes detailed pictures of internal organs to
check if melanoma has spread.
● Blood tests- Check overall health and organ function.
Are some done with MRI, CAT scan, PET scan, or ultrasound
machines? Yes.
● MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
● CT (or CAT) Scan
● PET scan AA
How many types of people are likely to get
it?
The white populations have higher rates of melanoma
compared to other races. Lifetime risk of getting
melanoma is about 3% for white people (1 in 33), 0.1%
(1 in 1,000) for black people and 0.5% (1 in 200) for
Hispanic people.
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Pictures
Fun Facts
Most Aggressive Skin Cancer: Melanoma is the
deadliest type of skin cancer, though it’s less common
than other skin cancers.
It's Not Just Sunburn: Melanoma can appear in areas
that don't get sun, like palms, soles, or even eyes.
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Sources
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/melanoma-skin-can
cer.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melanoma
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/154322
https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/skin-cancer/types/c
ommon/melanoma
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