Melanoma is one of the varieties of skin cancer. Less common than other types of malignant skin tumors, but dangerous. Melanoma affects mainly the skin, but can give metastases and spread to the bones and internal organs. This type of cancer on the face skin is almost never found. However, some women still peer at each of their birthmarks, trying to suspect a melanoma on their face. Such women will be useful to know all the possible signs of this disease.
Early signs
The most obvious and important sign of the development of melanoma is any change in the size, shape or color of the nevus, as well as any other pigmented lesions on the skin, for example, a birthmark. For the changes taking place, you should observe a certain period (from a week to a month). To catch changes, you can use the ABCDE rule. It will help to assess the changes in skin formations to you and a specialist. So, abbreviation ABCDE means:
- "A" (English asymmetry - asymmetry). The criterion of asymmetric growth, when growth is more pronounced from some specific edge of the nevus.
- "B" (English border irregularity). Characteristics of the edge of the nevus, for example, fuzzy, ragged, blurred, etc.
- "C" (English Color - color). A criterion for staining the nevus. The development of melanoma can be evidenced by heterogeneous pigmentation, the presence of all shades of tan (from light brown to black). Perhaps the presence of white, red, blue impregnations, which gives the pigmented spot a very mottled appearance. Such changes in the nature of the pigmentation, especially when spreading it from the edges of the nevus to the surrounding tissues, is also considered an early sign of melanoma development.
- "D" (diameter - diameter, size). Any growth of pigmented lesions on the skin should be alarming. Especially if the pigmented spot or the nevus increased in size by more than 0.6 cm or, for example, to the size of the eraser on the pencil.
- "E" (evolution - evolution, in the sense of development). Any changes in size and shape, the appearance of new symptoms (pain or itching), surface integrity disorders, bleeding, changes in the coloration of pigmented spots may be signs of melanoma development.
The following are recognized as signs of melanoma:
- Elevation or thickening of the surface of the skin of the nevus, which was previously flat.
- Changes in the surface features, for example, the appearance of erosion, striation, bleeding or scabs.
- From the surrounding tissues may appear changes in the form of redness, swelling, new small pigment spots, surrounding a large lesion, the so-called satellite pigmentation.
- Local manifestations are reduced to itching, tingling or burning.
- It is possible to change the integrity, consistency, for example, softening or fragmentation into small pieces, the parts that are easily separated, the appearance of friability.
The development of melanoma can trigger the existing nevus or other pigmentation spot on the skin, but it is possible to develop cancerous growth and without any predecessors. Melanoma can develop on any part of the skin, but more often occurs in the upper back in women and men and on legs in the weaker half of humanity. The cases of the appearance of melanoma on the palms, soles, nail bed, on the mucous membranes of the oral cavity, rectum, vagina, anus are described. Elderly people are prone to developing melanoma on the skin of the face. In older men, their localization is common on the neck, on the head and even the auricles.
It should be remembered that some skin diseases have similar manifestations with melanoma. Such diseases include warts, seborrheic keratosis, basal cell carcinoma.
The late manifestations of melanoma
The late signs of melanoma include:
- bleeding from the nevus and pigment spots, skin tears at the site of their localization;
- pain in the development of melanoma.
Metastatic melanoma has vague, indistinct symptoms, including: enlargement of lymph nodes, especially in the groin and armpit, the appearance of colorless and pigmented seals under the skin, severe weight loss, melanosis (grayed skin), prolonged (chronic) coughing, convulsions, headache.