4 Steps to Take If Skin Cancer Runs in Your Family
Having a relative diagnosed with skin cancer like melanoma can naturally be concerning. Read on to learn more about how that affects your risk and the steps you can take to protect yourself.
What's Involved in Melanoma Removal?
Any cancer diagnosis is scary. However, this is particularly true for melanoma — the deadliest type of skin cancer. Fortunately, treatment is available, including surgery known as wide local excision.
As a specialist in complex general surgical oncology, Dr. Trevan Fischer uses state-of-the-art techniques to diagnose and treat various cancers, including skin cancer and melanoma, at his private practice in Santa Monica, California.
In addition, he serves as a researcher on clinical trials at the Saint John's Cancer Institute, which helps him stay abreast of the latest cancer findings and treatment protocols.
Melanoma
Melanoma is less common than basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. However, it’s a bigger threat because it proliferates and can spread to other organs.
It begins in the cells that make pigment and is often — though not exclusively — found on skin exposed to the sun, such as the face, arms, back, and legs.
Symptoms
Melanoma can begin as a mole or on another part of the skin. In many cases, the first sign is either a change in an existing mole or a new pigmented or odd-appearing growth.
Catching melanoma early is critical to successful treatment. Signs to look out for include asymmetrically shaped moles or have an unusual border, such as one that is scalloped or notched.
A change in color, including multiple colors or a size bigger than a quarter of an inch, could also indicate a problem. Symptoms, such as itching or bleeding, shouldn’t be ignored, and the mole should be examined by a healthcare professional.
Treatment
Surgery is the most often used treatment for melanoma, and it frequently cures when found in an early stage. When a melanoma is deeper or has potentially spread, additional protocols may be used, including the removal of lymph nodes, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, or chemotherapy.
Wide local excision
Wide local excision occurs when we remove the entire melanoma plus healthy-looking skin around the edges to make sure all cancer cells are gone.
The amount of extra skin taken depends on how thick the melanoma is and your situation. Often, a melanoma less than one millimeter thick requires a one-centimeter margin, while those thicker than one millimeter need a two-centimeter margin. However, margin amounts can vary depending on the melanoma's location and other factors.
The procedure is relatively minor and is often performed with local anesthesia.
After the melanoma and margins are removed, they are viewed under a microscope to ensure that no additional cancer cells are found at the edges of the healthy skin.
If you have been diagnosed with any type of skin cancer, including melanoma, we can help with your treatment. Click to book an appointment or call the office today at 310-807-2688.
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