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Sunscreen, large hats, clothing with UV protection – you probably already know how to protect yourself from the sun’s harmful rays, which can cause skin cancer. You may have heard of melanoma and may know that it is the most dangerous type of skin cancer. But did you know that melanoma can spread to other parts of the body besides the skin?
Melanoma is a cancer that occurs when melanocytes (the cells that produce skin color and are called melanin) multiply abnormally and uncontrollably. One reason melanoma is so dangerous is that it develops quickly and can easily spread to other parts of the body.
Here’s what you need to know about metastatic melanoma.
What is Metastatic Melanoma?
Metastatic melanoma occurs when the cancer spreads to other parts of the body. If the cancer metastasizes, it is considered more advanced and more difficult to treat.
Melanoma can spread to:
- Other parts of the skin
- the eyes
- The brain
- Lymph nodes
- the lungs
- the liver
- The stomach
- The bones
How does melanoma spread?
Melanoma cells usually spread by entering the bloodstream and then traveling to other parts of the body. Sometimes melanoma cells first pass through the lymphatic system, the tissues and organs that help your body fight disease. In this case, melanoma cells can enter the bloodstream more easily and spread more quickly.
There are no clear signs as to whether or when melanoma will spread to other parts of the body. Detecting melanoma early is the best way to prevent it from spreading. If it spreads, it becomes more difficult to treat. And melanoma is not diagnosed early in every person with the same frequency. About one in three black patients are diagnosed with advanced or metastatic disease (stage 3 or 4), compared to a rate of about one in 10 white patients.
What are the risk factors for metastatic melanoma?
Certain factors can increase your risk of developing metastatic melanoma:
- Do you have a close relative, e.g. B. a parent, child or sibling who has the disease?
- Have suffered one or more severe blistering sunburns
- You have been exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun or tanning beds
- Having more than 50 moles on the body
- Live near the equator or at higher altitudes
- Have fair skin or eyes or blonde or red hair
- It’s easy to get freckles or sunburn
- A weakened immune system due to an illness or medication
What are the symptoms of metastatic melanoma?
Up to 8 in 10 melanomas occur on normal-looking skin and can therefore be difficult to detect. Understanding melanoma symptoms and having your skin examined regularly by a dermatologist can facilitate early diagnosis before melanoma spreads.
Know the ABCDE warning signs:
A: lunar or neoplasms asymmetrical
b: Birthmarks or neoplasms with Edge irregular
C: Birthmarks or neoplasms of various kinds Colors
D: Birthmarks or neoplasms with a diameter larger than the size of an eraser
E: Birthmarks or neoplasms that have further developed so that they have a larger size or thickness
Melanoma may manifest differently in people with darker skin. Be aware of the following signs for areas of skin not normally exposed to the sun:
– Dark neoplasms on normally light skin areas
– For some skin neoplasms there is an uncertain diagnosis
– The neoplasm or lesion bleeds or secretes fluid
– The spot grows or changes shape and size
– Healing is delayed or the injury takes more than two months to heal
If melanoma spreads to other parts of the body, other symptoms may occur:
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Bone pain
- bloody stools
- Difficulty breathing
- Seizures
What treatment options are there?
Treatment for melanoma depends on your health, the type of tumor, and how far and where the cancer has spread. Your doctor may recommend surgery to remove the original tumor and any other tumors in the lymph nodes. Sometimes radiation therapy is given alone to shrink tumors or in combination with surgery. Chemotherapy is also a treatment option, but is often not used as the first option for melanoma.
Another treatment option is immunotherapy. This type of treatment involves oral or intravenous (through a vein) medications that work with your immune system to specifically attack and kill cancer cells. There are different types of immunotherapy. Which one you receive depends on the type of tumor you have and whether there are genetic mutations in your tumor.
Prevention is key
You can’t change the genes you were born with, but you can prevent other risk factors. Eating a healthy diet, avoiding tobacco and alcohol (which can weaken your immune system), protecting your skin closely from the sun, and having annual skin exams can help reduce your risk of developing melanoma.
This educational resource was created with support from Merck.
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