Is my mole cancerous? Information on melanomas for teens

Finding a mole somewhere on your body can be scary.  Most of the time it is because of sun damage, but there are moles that can be cancerous.  It is always a good idea to visit the doctor if it worries you.

Although there are several different types of skin cancer, most don't become life-threatening because they aren't likely to spread to other parts of the body. Unfortunately, melanoma is different. If it's not caught early, melanoma can spread from the skin to other organs — often with deadly results. 

The good news about 'melanomas' are that if it is caught early, you can do something about it.  Let get some more information on this.

Our cells in our skin produces 'melanin'.  This is what gives us the colour to our skins.  A melanoma will form in the 'melanocytes'.  That is the name of the cells that produces the melanin.

These melanocytes can sometimes form groups or clusters and that is how a mole is formed.  There can be a malfunction in how the melanocytes grow and they can form tumours.

You can find more information here.

 Melanoma that's caught early, when it's still on the surface of the skin, can be cured. But if melanoma is ignored or untreated, it can grow downward into the skin until it reaches the blood vessels and lymphatic system. These two systems can act like a highway for the cancer cells, allowing them easy access to distant organs like the lungs or the brain. That's why early detection is so important. 

Sun damage is one of the major causes of melanoma but it can also be genetic, which means it can be inherited from your mother or father.  If you have a family history of melanoma, you need to make sure to examine your body often and if you see any moles or changes in the shape and size, go to the doctor immediately.

A few other things that can play a role in increasing your chances of getting melanoma are

• if you have a very light skin with lots of freckles and red hair and blue eyes (note that it does not mean that if you have a fair skin you will get melanoma, it just means that you have to be more careful out in the sun)
• if you have a lot of moles on your body
• if you get exposed to too much sunlight and burn or you spend too much time on the tanning bed
• having a family history of melanoma
• already had a melanoma that were removed

Not every mole means that you have cancer, but there are a few sign that you can look out for in a mole, that will tell you it is time to get professional help.

• if you see that the mole is not asymmetric any more (the one side looks different from the other side - odd shaped)
• the outside of the mole does not have a definite line, it looks 'blurry'
• the colour of the mole has changed and has become darker or black or blue
• the mole is getting bigger

If you see any of these changes or the mole is getting itchy or bleeds from time to time, it is time to visit the doctor.

The most common places for melanoma to occur are on the torso, head, and neck for men, and the lower legs for women. African Americans are more likely to get melanoma under the nails, or on the palms and soles of the feet. 

If a doctor examines you and he gets the idea that it may be a melanoma, he will want to do a 'biopsy' so that he can take a piece from the mole to be tested and see if it is indeed cancerous.  Once he gets the results back, he will decide on treatment.

Biopsy -  an examination of tissue removed from a living body to discover the presence, cause, or extent of a disease. 

Depending on the size and the depth of the melanoma, the doctor will advise you on surgically remove it and go for 'radiation' and/or 'chemotherapy' to make sure that all the cancer cells are removed from the body.

This can all be very scary, but it is better to know and do something about it, than wait until it is too late for help.

You cannot change your skin colour or your genes, but you can take measures to prevent causing sun damage to your skin and also with regular self inspection you will be able to spot it in time.

Not all skin cancer is melanoma, but every case of melanoma is serious. So now that you know more about it, take responsibility for protecting yourself and do what you can to lower your risk.