Dr. Mendoza in the Media

For Immediate Release

Early Detection of Malignant Melanoma

Skin Cancer is the most common form of cancer, affecting more than one million Americans every year. Over exposure to sunlight is the main cause of skin cancer. There are three forms of skin cancer with malignant melanoma being the most deadly. Every year over 7000 Americans will die from melanoma and that number continues to rise. The other two forms of skin cancer are Basal Cell Carcinoma and Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Malignant Melanoma is the skin cancer that is most likely to metastasize (spread through the blood stream to other parts of the body). It is often triggered by repetitive sun exposure. With our societies preoccupation with tanning, malignant melanoma is unfortunately on the rise. However, some forms of melanoma are not sun-related and can appear anywhere on the body. Fortunately, these forms of cancer have not been rising in incidence. In addition to those exposed to sunlight, other people at risk for getting melanoma include people with a light complexion or freckles, light hair color with blue, green, or gray eyes, people with a history of a severe sunburn before age 20, a family history of melanoma or other skin cancer, or those with multiple, unusual, or congenital moles.

The best way to avoid this disease is by prevention. Minimizing sun exposure will significantly decrease your risk of getting melanoma. Avoiding sunburns and using sunscreen with an SPF of 15 with frequent reapplications is key to decreasing your risk. Since melanoma can occur in areas not exposed to the sun, early recognition of changing moles is of paramount importance in detecting melanoma early.

The ABCD rule of melanoma is the key to early detection. Asymmetry - one half of the mole does not match the other half. Border - irregular, notched, or indistinct borders are suspicious. Color - pigmentation is not uniform with different shades of tan, brown, or black being present. Dashes of red, white and blue can also be present. Diameter - a width greater than 6 mm or any recent growth of a mole should be considered suspicious.

Other signs of Malignant Melanoma include the spreading of the color from the edge of the mole into the surrounding skin; recent change in size or shape; sudden elevation of a previously flat mole; development of crusting, ulceration or bleeding; and the sudden appearance of new moles.

Because Malignant Melanoma can spread so quickly, the initial treatment should be surgical removal of the suspicious mole. Once melanoma has spread, it is much more difficult to treat. Current treatment for metastatic melanoma is not great; therefore, EARLY DETECTION IS CRUCIAL!

If your mole has one or more of the above signs, you should see you physician as soon as possible!

Dr. Mendoza is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon with offices in Naperville, Chicago (Michigan Avenue) and Oak Lawn. Specializing in cosmetic surgery of the face and of the body, he also offers a wide range of cosmetic surgery options. He can be reached at Chicagoland Plastic Surgery at 630.305.0331 or www.plastic-handsurgery.com

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