Every May 23, World Melanoma Day is commemorated , with the aim of raising awareness and raising awareness in the population about this type of skin cancer, as well as disseminating the importance of early diagnosis of this disease.
According to the American Cancer Society, melanoma accounts for only 1% of skin cancer cases, but it causes the vast majority of deaths.
It is caused by mutations in cells called melanocytes , which are responsible for producing a pigment called melanin. While it can appear on normal skin, larger moles present from birth are capable of developing into melanoma. For this reason, awareness campaigns tend to be aimed at reviewing them, with a system called ABCDE :
• A symmetry. Half of the abnormal area of the mole is different from the other.
• B ords. They are irregular.
• Color . It changes from one area to another, from brown, light, brown or black and sometimes white, red or blue.
• Diameter . Usually, but not always, the spot is larger than 5 mm in diameter.
• Evolution . The mole keeps changing its appearance.
There are four types of melanoma:
• Of superficial extension. It is the most common. It is usually flat and irregular in shape and color, with varying shades of black and dark brown. It is more common in light-skinned people.
• Nodular. It begins as a raised area that is dark blue-black or bluish-red, although some are colorless (amelanotic melanoma).
• Lentigo maligna. It usually appears in elderly people. It is most common on sun-damaged skin, specifically on the face, neck, and arms. Areas of abnormal skin are large, flat, and brown with brown areas.
• Acral lentiginous. It is the least common form of melanoma and usually appears on the palms of the hands, soles of the feet or under the nails.
Risk factors for melanoma:
• Have white skin, light eyes, blonde or red hair.
•Sunburn with blisters in childhood or exposure to tanning beds.
•High exposure to intense sunlight.
•Close relatives who have had melanoma.
•Present certain types of dysplastic and atypical moles or numerous birthmarks.
• Weakened immune system.
Current status of melanoma
It is estimated that during 2020, 324,635 new cases occurred globally , of which 18,881 correspond to Latin America and around 1,700 to Argentina . According to projections from the World Health Organization (WHO), it is estimated that by 2025 the number of deaths from melanoma could increase by 20 percent.
According to the American Cancer Society, melanoma rates have increased rapidly in recent decades, but this has varied by age. Among adults age 50 and older, rates rose for women by about 1% per year from 2015 to 2019 while they remained stable for men.
On the other hand, melanoma mortality in the US: decreased rapidly between 2011 to 2020 due to advances in treatment, resulting in a reduction of 5% per year among adults under 50 years of age and 3% per year among year for adults aged 50 and over.
