Guest Writer
What You Need to Know About Melanoma
Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, every year close to 70,000 people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with melanoma, and nearly 9,000 will die of the disease. The good news is that with routine skin inspections and prompt removal of any suspicious skin features, the cure rate is excellent. So when do you call the doctor?
Here’s some basic guidance for all skin cancers. Consult your doctor if:
• You see a change in the color or texture of your skin. New growths, changes in size or color of a mole or other darkly pigmented growth or spot should be checked. Melanomas are typically darker than the surrounding skin.
• You see or feel a change in the appearance of a bump or nodule.
• You see scaliness, oozing or bleeding.
• You see pigmentation that spreads beyond a defined border, such as the edge of a mole or mark.
• You see a mole, spot or mark that is asymmetrical or has irregular or scalloped borders.
• You feel a change around a mole or mark such as itchiness, tenderness or pain.
