Skin Cancer

It is the rapid proliferation and cancerization of 'melanocyte' cells, which give our skin and moles their brown/black color. It is the most dangerous type, with a very high probability of spreading (metastasizing) to the blood and internal organs compared to other skin cancers.

The biggest cause is unprotected exposure to the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays and the use of solariums. Severe, blistering sunburns experienced especially during childhood exponentially increase the risk of melanoma in adulthood.

The international ABCDE rule is used to determine whether a mole on your body is cancerous:
A (Asymmetry): If one half of the mole does not match the other half.
B (Border): If the edges of the mole are ragged, blurred, or irregular like a map.
C (Color): If there are multiple color variations such as black, brown, red, or white within the mole.
D (Diameter): If the diameter of the mole is larger than 6 millimeters (the size of a pencil eraser).
E (Evolution): If the mole is suddenly growing, bleeding, or itching in recent weeks/months, a doctor should be consulted immediately.

Although they are usually dark black/brown, there are also highly insidious types of melanoma known as 'Amelanotic Melanoma' that do not produce any pigment and may look like a pimple or a pink/red sore.

A dermatologist examines the suspicious mole with a special magnifying device called a Dermatoscope. If there is a suspicion of cancer, the entire mole is removed under local anesthesia (with a small incision) and sent to pathology (Biopsy).

If caught in the early stages, surgical removal of the mole along with the surrounding skin provides a complete cure. However, if the cancer has spread to the deeper layers of the skin or to the lymph nodes, the lymph nodes are cleared. In advanced stages, chemotherapy has largely been replaced by Targeted Therapies and Immunotherapy (vaccines that provoke the immune system to attack the tumor), and success rates have increased revolutionarily.