Melanoma by Tiffany Asuncion, Sherry Guan, and Jasmín Smith- Torres

Causes ● Cancerous growth that leads skin cells to multiply rapidly and form malignant tumors. o Cancer is a disease where certain cells in the body lose their ability to control cell division. Cancer cells multiply and eventually crowd out healthy cells. ● Caused by mutations triggered by unrepaired DNA damage to skin cells. ● Can be caused by too much UV exposure ● Using a tanning bed can raise risk of melanoma by 75%

Prevention and Treatment ● Limit your exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. ● Ways to limit UV exposure: o “Slip! Slop! Slap!...and Wrap!”  Slip on a shirt.  Slop on sunscreen.  Slap on a hat.  Wrap on sunglasses to protect eyes and the sensitive skin around them.

Prevention and Treatment ● Avoid tanning beds and sunlamps ● Watch out for abnormal moles and get them checked out by your doctor.

Affected Areas ● Mainly any areas of skin ● Different stages=different affected areas ● Ex: Stage 4- areas more difficult to treat (i.e. lungs, bones, brain, and even liver)

The 3 Types of Melanoma ●Cutaneous ○ Melanoma that affects skin ●Mucosal ○ Melanoma that affects mucous membranes (i.e. throat, vagina, anus, or mouth) ●Ocular ○ Rare, Melanoma found in the eye

Myths ● You only get it where you’ve been sunburnt. ● You’re more prone to it if you spend a lot of time in the sun. ● Only old people get it. ● There is no cure. ● Sunscreen fully protects you from Melanoma.

How It’s Spread ● It spreads when the cancer metastasizes ● Stage three of melanoma, it spreads to the lymph nodes ● Stage four it can spread to the lungs, the liver, the brain, bones, or other organs

Who It Affects... ● 20 times more common in caucasians, rare in people with darker skin ● Higher chance of contracting melanoma in your 80’s ● Most common cancer for young adults, especially women ● Gene mutations that cause melanoma can be hereditary

Consequences If Untreated ● If untreated, Melanoma can spread to other part of the body and may become incurable. ● The cancer can metastasize to other organs.

Works Cited