Nodular Melanoma

Nodular Melanoma - Something To Worry About?

Nodular melanoma is one of the more serious different types of skin cancers. It's considered one of the most life threatening types, but most people don't find out about it until their cancer is very advanced. This kind of melanoma is thick, spreads quickly, and can grow deep into the skin in a short period of time.

This is why it's so important to learn everything you can about this cancer. Otherwise, it could progress to stage IV melanoma very early.

This type of skin cancer is fatal. Early treatment can prevent nodular melanoma from being so dangerous. Here's what you need to know to detect skin cancer early and get the treatment you need. Remember, the more you know about melanoma, the better your chances of a cure become.

What Nodular Skin Cancer Looks Like

Nodular Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer. It's responsible for about a third of all thick melanoma. More common kinds of melanoma are thin and mostly spread on the surface of the skin. Nodular melanoma is more likely to grow deep into the skin than to grow on the surface. That means that it can reach deep tissues faster and spread into other organs before it can be detected.

Most of the time, nodular melanoma is invasive when we first find it. It mostly appears in older people, on the upper body, legs and arms. But some people also get this kind of cancer on their face or scalp.

It looks like a bump, and is usually black, but some melanoma are also:

• White
• Red
• Gray
• Blue
• Tan
• Brown or the same as your skin color
• about five percent of these cancers don't have any pigment

Prognosis for This Melanoma

Most people who get this kind of melanoma have a poor prognosis. This low chance of a cure isn't because of the cancer itself. It's because it takes so long for most people to find out that they have it, and because the cancer grows so much faster than other kinds.

By the time we find out that we have this type of melanoma, it has already had the chance to spread. If you're able to find the cancer and have it treated very early, you have a good chance of a cure. Treatment is usually more difficult the longer it takes to find the cancer. It might even become fatal.

Treatment Options

Treating melanoma of this kind can be complex. The level of treatment required will depend on the seriousness of the cancer. Certainly patients will need to have the cancer removed.

Since the cancer is deep, they might have to get reconstructive surgery afterward to reduce scarring. People who have more advanced cases of skin cancer may need systemic treatments, too. These are also used for people who cannot have surgery because they are too weak or because of age.

These kinds of treatments can include chemotherapy and radiation therapy to kill cancer cells. They might also include biologic treatments that boost the immune system and allow it to attack the cancer.

Perfusion is a type of localized chemotherapy that can help people avoid the side effects of normal treatment. These are usually used for melanoma on the arm or leg. It has been shown to make a difference in about three quarters of the cases where it was used and is a good option for many people with this disease.

What you can do

It might seem like a dark colored bump would be easy to notice, but the truth is that many people assume they have a mole or sore. The best choice for anyone who's worried about getting this serious kind of cancer is to pay close attention.

If you see anything unusual about your body, don't wait. Nodular skin cancer can grow very quickly. Talk to your doctor or skin specialist about the problem right away. It could be the thing that saves your life.

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