If you have recently been diagnosed with melanoma, you may start to question your chances of navigating your life. Studies suggest that one in five Americans battling at least five sunburns is more likely to have skin cancer by the time they clock 70 years. With early detection and treatment, you can survive melanoma. Read on to find out what a specialist for Melanoma in Flemington says about the condition.
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Facts about Melanoma
It is a type of skin cancer
Melanoma is a skin cancer type that develops when the body experiences an outburst in melanocyte cell growth. Prolonged exposure to the UV rays from the sun causes melanin to darken. Detecting melanoma can be difficult, especially if you are a person of color. However, you might notice that some parts of your skin are darker than other areas.
It may affect other areas not exposed to the harsh UV rays
Over time, the dark-colored parts may start bleeding and changing shape. Interestingly, melanoma can also affect other areas of your body that are hardly exposed to sunlight, including your armpits, the soles of your feet, and the groin. It would be best if you saw a melanoma specialist at HUNTERDON HEMATOLOGY ONCOLOGY to confirm your suspicions.
Advanced diagnostic methods can detect early signs of melanoma
Darkened parts of the skin might not signify that you have melanoma. You can have even skin but still have melanoma. Through advanced diagnostic methods and treatment plans, melanoma specialists can detect it when it is still in its early stages. Your doctor may perform a series of exams and tests to determine melanoma development and seriousness. That way, they can improvise a worthy treatment plan to help you cope with the condition.
A combination of melanoma treatments can eliminate the cancer
Melanoma develops in stages. When it progresses to tumors and abnormal-looking skin, your doctor may recommend that you go for surgery. Surgical procedures work by eliminating tumors that may cause cancers before they spread to other parts of your skin. But they can only do that after conducting a skin biopsy.
Treating melanoma involves a combination of treatments, including medications. The primary goal of doing this is to ensure tumors do not grow big and spread to other vulnerable parts of your body. But in cases where the tumor has already spread to other parts, doctors may perform advanced surgery as a last resort.
See a melanoma specialist for early diagnosis
Like any other type of skin cancer, melanoma can develop in stages without you realizing it. Do not wait until the darkened parts of your skin develop into tumors to see a melanoma specialist. The more you wait until your situation worsens, the higher your chances of undergoing complex treatment options. Once your doctor confirms that you have melanoma, try to determine what treatment options they can design to make you feel better. To learn more about how melanoma develops and its treatment solutions, schedule a visit with a specialist today.