What part of the body is most common for melanoma?

They most often develop in areas that have had exposure to the sun, such as your back, legs, arms and face. Melanomas can also occur in areas that don't receive much sun exposure, such as the soles of your feet, palms of your hands and fingernail beds.

When is melanoma most likely to occur?

The risk of melanoma increases as people age. The average age of people when it is diagnosed is 65. But melanoma is not uncommon even among those younger than 30. In fact, it's one of the most common cancers in young adults (especially young women).

Who is at greatest risk for melanoma?

People with fair complexion, blond or red hair, blue eyes, and freckles are at increased risk for developing melanoma. This risk is also higher for people whose skin has a tendency to burn rather than tan. Family history. About 10% of people with melanoma have a family history of the disease.

How does your body feel when you have melanoma?

Itchiness, tenderness or pain. Changes in texture, or scales, oozing or bleeding from an existing mole. Blurry vision or partial loss of sight, or dark spots in the iris.

What are the 7 warning signs of skin cancer?

3 Types of Skin Cancer

What are two warning signs of skin cancer?

Talk to your doctor if you notice changes in your skin such as a new growth, a sore that doesn't heal, a change in an old growth, or any of the A-B-C-D-Es of melanoma. A change in your skin is the most common sign of skin cancer. This could be a new growth, a sore that doesn't heal, or a change in a mole.

Where do most skin cancers start?

Skin cancer develops primarily on areas of sun-exposed skin, including the scalp, face, lips, ears, neck, chest, arms and hands, and on the legs in women. But it can also form on areas that rarely see the light of day — your palms, beneath your fingernails or toenails, and your genital area.

What are the warning signs of melanoma?

Spread of pigment from the border of a spot into surrounding skin. Redness or a new swelling beyond the border of the mole. Change in sensation, such as itchiness, tenderness, or pain. Change in the surface of a mole – scaliness, oozing, bleeding, or the appearance of a lump or bump.

What were your first signs of melanoma?

What are the four early warning signs of melanoma?

What is the number one cause of melanoma?

Still, doctors believe exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun and from tanning lamps and beds is the leading cause of melanoma. UV light doesn't cause all melanomas, especially those that occur in places on your body that don't receive exposure to sunlight.

What makes you more likely to get melanoma?

Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays is a major risk factor for most melanomas. Sunlight is the main source of UV rays. Tanning beds and sun lamps are also sources of UV rays. While UV rays make up only a very small portion of the sun's rays, they are the main cause of the damaging effects of the sun on the skin.

How long can you have melanoma before noticing?

How long can you have melanoma and not know it? It depends on the type of melanoma. For example, nodular melanoma grows rapidly over a matter of weeks, while a radial melanoma can slowly spread over the span of a decade. Like a cavity, a melanoma may grow for years before producing any significant symptoms.

How suddenly can melanoma appear?

Melanomas may appear suddenly and without warning. They are found most frequently on the face and neck, upper back and legs, but can occur anywhere on the body. Is melanoma a serious disease? Yes.

How long does it take to notice melanoma?

They develop slowly over several years and appear in areas that are often exposed to the sun, such as the face. To start with, lentigo maligna melanomas are flat and develop sideways in the surface layers of skin. They look like a freckle, but they're usually larger, darker and stand out more than a normal freckle.

What does pre melanoma look like?

Discoloration, often appearing brown, pink, gray, red, yellow, or white. Flat or slightly raised. Hard or wart-like surface. Roughness or scaly skin.

What organs does melanoma spread to first?

Doctors have known for decades that melanoma and many other cancer types tend to spread first into nearby lymph nodes before entering the blood and traveling to distant parts of the body.

Do blood tests detect melanoma?

Blood tests aren't used to diagnose melanoma, but some tests may be done before or during treatment, especially for more advanced melanomas. Doctors often test blood for levels of a substance called lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) before treatment.

Where is the best place to have melanoma?

Having melanoma skin cancer on the arms or legs (extremities) has a better prognosis than having melanoma skin cancer on the central part of the body (trunk), head or neck. Melanoma skin cancer on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet also has a poorer prognosis compared to other locations.

Can melanoma go away on its own?

Melanoma can go away on its own. Melanoma on the skin can spontaneously regress, or begin to, without any treatment. That's because the body's immune system is able launch an assault on the disease that's strong enough to spur its retreat.

Can melanoma be benign?

Melanoma, benign: A benign growth of the melanocytes that is not cancerous. A mole may be a melanocytic nevus.

How can you tell if a spot is cancerous?

What are the first signs skin cancer?

The first sign of non-melanoma skin cancer is usually the appearance of a lump or patch on the skin that doesn't heal after a few weeks. In most cases, cancerous lumps are red and firm, while cancerous patches are often flat and scaly. Speak to your GP if you have any skin abnormality that hasn't healed after 4 weeks.

Do you feel sick if you have skin cancer?

You can feel well and still have skin cancer

Most people who find a suspicious spot on their skin or streak beneath a nail feel fine. They don't have any pain. They don't feel ill. The only difference they notice is the suspicious-looking spot.