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Home - Medical Dermatology -
Skin Cancer - Melanoma Skin Cancer
SKIN CANCER IN SOUTH FLORIDA
MELANOMA SKIN CANCER
Malignant Melanoma (40,000 to 50,000 cases per year)
Luckily, melanoma is the least common form of skin cancer, but it is the most dangerous. Every year over 7,000 Americans die from melanoma., but it is almost always curable when detected in its early stages. The photos illustrate typical melanoma lesions, but these lesions would alarm anybody enough to seek medical attention. The key to detecting melanomas early is to “know your moles” and show any new or changing lesions to Dr. Minars.
| Risk Factors: |
Family history of melanoma; history of blistering sun burns; dysplastic nevi (i.e. “funny-looking” moles). |
| Prognosis: |
Potentially fatal (most important prognostic factor = depth of the lesion). |
| Treatment: |
Melanoma’s are treated by wide excision. In other words, more normal skin is taken during the removal of a melanoma than with other skin cancer surgery. Depending on the depth of the lesion, Dr. Minars or a surgical oncologist will perform the surgery and lymph nodes may be tested to detect early spread of the disease. |
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