1. Melanoma
Olivia Wilson

2. What is Melanoma? Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer
It can be found in the digestive tract and lymph nodes because melanocytes are also located there, however this is not typical
Often clusters of melanocytes and surrounding tissue become noncancerous moles
Abnormal growth of melanocytes cause moles to become cancerous
Normal Skin

3. Signs and Symptoms
Melanoma first becomes apparent when a mole changes size or color or a new mole appears
Men tend to find it on their back and shoulder area, where women tend to find it on their legs. African Americans tend to find it under their nails and on the pads of their hands and feet

4. More Signs and Symptoms
Common signs include asymmetrical moles, ragged borders to moles, uneven color and changes in size
Early melanoma usually turns a black color and becomes slightly scaled and itchy
More advanced melanoma becomes hard and lumpy
Melanoma usually isn’t marked by any pain

5. Types of Melanoma
Melanoma that appears in the skin is known as cutaneous melanoma
If melanoma spreads, it usually starts in the lymph nodes then distributes itself to the lungs, brain, and liver
This is known as metastatic melanoma
Melanoma may occur in the eye. This is known as ocular melanoma

6. Causes Exact causes are unknown Risk factors include
Dysplastic nevi (abnormal looking moles)
Having a lot of moles
fair skin
personal or family history of skin cancer
weak immune system
Frequent severe sun burns
Lots of time spent in the sun

7. Diagnosis
A biopsy of the area is needed to determine whether or not a mole is melanoma
A biopsy is the removal of the area in question so a doctor and accurately look at the cells
Biopsy Scar

8. Treatment Surgery Chemotherapy Biological therapy Radiation therapy
Treatment option is based on the size and stage of the melanoma
Side effects of treatment may include scarring, nausea, loss of hair, flu like symptoms, vomiting, and/or diarrhea

9. Surgery
Most common
Doctors remove melanoma and surrounding tissue to insure no regrowth
Lymph node biopsy and removal may be necessary if cancer cells have spread

10. Chemotherapy Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill cancer
In melanoma patients it is either an injection or a pill
If melanoma is on a limb they may inject directly to in and stop blood flow to the area so drugs can directly reach cancer
A heated injection may be used

11. Biological Therapy
Biological therapy is the use of the body’s immune system to fight cancer
Large amounts of man made cytokines are injected into the body
Cytokines are naturally occurring in the body to fight infection

12. Radiation Therapy Radiation is the use of high energy to kill cancer
Its used to control the spread of melanoma and shrink tumors that may be caused by the disease

13. Costs
As of 2007, treatment of melanoma has cost the country over 740 million dollars
Treatment of this disease is costly, but necessary for survival

14. Melanoma has affected about 121,840 people in the last year.
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