The tumor typically arises on sun-damaged skin on the face, ears, arms or upper torso. What it looks like: It may look like a flat or slightly raised, blotchy patch with uneven borders. Color is usually blue-black, but can vary from tan to brown or dark brown. What you should know: This is the most common form of melanoma found in people of color, including individuals of African ancestry. How and where it grows: It often appears in hard-to-spot places including under the nails and on the soles of the feet or palms of the hands.
What it looks like: It may appear as a black or brown area. Musician Bob Marley was diagnosed with acral lentiginous melanoma, which ultimately claimed his life at age When a dark spot appeared under his toenail, Marley attributed it to a soccer injury.
Eventually he was diagnosed with the disease but was not treated. His melanoma spread to other areas of his body and tragically cut his life short.
What you should know: This is the most aggressive type of melanoma. It accounts for 10 to 15 percent of all cases. How and where it grows: The tumor grows deeper into the skin more rapidly than other types and is most frequently found on the torso, legs and arms, as well as the scalp in older men. It is usually invasive at the time it is first diagnosed. What it looks like: Nodular melanoma is often recognized as a bump on the skin, usually blue-black in color, but not uncommonly can also appear as a pink to red bump.
Reviewed by: Allan C. Understanding those relatively subtle differences is vital to understanding both of the cancers. Melanomas and carcinomas come from different cells in the skin. A carcinoma can come from two different types of cell. Basal cells are the most common culprit. They are located in the lower level of the epidermis. Their job is to reproduce to create new cells for the skin.
Squamous cells, which form the outer layer, are the other option. Neither of those cells can produce a melanoma. Those come from melanocytes, which are cells that exist to produce melanin.
That compound both protects the skin from sunlight and determines its color. It protects the body against infection and injury and helps regulate body temperature. The skin also stores water and fat and produces vitamin D.
See the Medical Illustrations section for a drawing of these layers. Cancer begins when healthy cells change and grow out of control, forming a mass called a tumor.
A tumor can be cancerous or benign. A cancerous tumor is malignant, meaning it can grow and spread to other parts of the body. A benign tumor means the tumor can grow but will not spread. Doctors diagnose skin cancer in more than 3 million Americans each year, making it the most common type of cancer. If skin cancer is found early, it can usually be treated with topical medications, procedures done in the office by a dermatologist, or an outpatient surgery. A dermatologist is a doctor who specializes in diseases and conditions of the skin.
In some cases, skin cancer may be more advanced and require management by a multidisciplinary team that often includes a dermatologist, surgical oncologist, radiation oncologist, and a medical oncologist.
These doctors will meet with a patient, and together they will recommend the best path forward to treat the cancer. In some instances, the surgical oncologist will recommend a surgery to be performed in an operating room when the procedure to treat the cancer is too extensive for an office setting. Basal cell carcinoma.
Basal cells are the round cells found in the lower epidermis. These cancers are described as basal cell carcinomas. This type of skin cancer can spread and become very serious if treatment is delayed.
Merkel cell carcinoma is a rare and aggressive cancer. Forming in the Merkel cells deep within the top layer of the skin, this type of cancer often appears as a shiny pink, red or bluish lump that grows quickly. Merkel cell carcinoma is serious, but with early detection, many cases can be treated successfully.
Be sure to speak with a physician as soon as possible if you notice an unusual lump on your skin. Melanoma is a relatively common cancer that begins in the melanocytes, which are the pigment-producing cells located on the top layer of the skin. Make sure to speak with a dermatologist if you notice warning signs of melanoma, which may include a mole that:.
Melanoma is a very serious type of cancer, but early detection saves many lives. If you have been diagnosed with nonmelanoma skin cancer or melanoma, a skin cancer specialist at Moffitt Cancer Center can offer a second opinion after reviewing your lab work, biopsies and images.
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