They can be brown, or black or pink, as long as they are one single color. Cancerous or pre-cancerous moles are multicolored. If the mole has more than one color, get it looked at.
Moles smaller than the diameter of a pencil eraser are less likely to be cancer. If a mole is bigger than a pencil eraser, it is not necessarily cancerous, but it should be evaluated. However, if any mole on your skin shows signs of change, that can indicate a problem.
A change in size or color for example might be the only sign that it is cancerous. Please take the time during your next check up to have a total body skin exam. If your primary care physician does not feel comfortable evaluating your skin, request a referral to a dermatologist who can check your skin for abnormal moles. This is called restaging. Because cancer is found deeper than the skin, more surgery may be needed.
Also, another treatment that can kill the cancer cells may be added to your treatment plan. While surgery is usually the first choice for treating melanoma, surgery can be too risky for some patients.
Other times, surgery cannot remove the cancer. If surgery is not right for you, your dermatologist or oncologist will talk with you about your options. You can learn more about the different treatments for melanoma at, Melanoma: Diagnosis and treatment. Observation or more treatment may be recommended for a patient in any stage. Early melanoma: You begin observation.
The risk of melanoma returning or spreading is low. Still, there is a risk. Thicker melanoma: Most patients begin observation. Your dermatologist will watch your skin very closely. Melanoma found in a lymph node or lymph vessel, or the cancer has spread further advanced melanoma : Another type of treatment often follows surgery. The U. One type of medication targets and disables cancer cells that have certain mutations changes.
About half the people who get melanoma have a mutation called a BRAF mutation. Immunotherapy is another type of medication used to treat advanced melanoma, usually after surgery.
These medications help your immune system find, attack, and kill melanoma cells. Different treatments work for different patients. Other options for treating advanced melanoma after surgery include radiation therapy or chemotherapy. Some patients with advanced melanoma may want to consider joining a clinical trial, a study that looks at the safety and effectiveness of a new treatment.
After you finish treatment, your dermatologist or oncologist will still want to see you regularly. Melanoma can return or spread after treatment. You may have a check-up every 3 to 12 months in the beginning. This varies with the stage of your melanoma.
These can help find cancer that has returned or spread. Anyone who has had melanoma has a higher risk of getting another melanoma. You should have this exam at least every year. Some patients need to be followed more closely.
The American Academy of Dermatology recommends that you see a board-certified dermatologist for this exam. Step 3 is often unnecessary for patients with an early melanoma, who may complete steps 1, 2, and 4 in one office visit.
Patients with advanced melanoma may spend months in treatment. I have melanoma, why do I need a sentinel lymph node biopsy? Melanoma Resource Center. Find skin cancer How to check your skin How do I know if I have skin cancer? My Chart. Donate Today. For Physicians. Cancer Moonshots. August What to expect when you have a mole removed. Previous Article. August : What to expect when you have a mole removed. Skin self-check Before your appointment, you should check out your own moles by doing a skin self-exam.
These skin cancer symptoms include: A symmetry: The two sides of the mole look different from each other. C olor: The mole is multi-colored. D iameter: The width is more than 6 millimeters, which is about the size of pencil eraser.
E volution: The mole has changed in size, shape or feeling. Related Posts. More Stories From Focused on Health. Eating a plant-based diet with plenty of vegetables is an important step in reducing your cancer risk. Our expert offers six tips for getting the most nutrition out of your produce. You may not associate viruses with cancer, but there are several oncoviruses that increase your risk for the disease.
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