Melanoma Skin Cancer: How to Recognize Early Symptoms with the ABCDE Rule

Melanoma Skin Cancer: How to Recognize Early Symptoms with the ABCDE Rule

Melanoma is a malignant skin cancer that originates from the skin cells that produce the dark pigment (melanin) that gives color to the skin. These cells are know as melanocytes from which comes the name of this cancer.

Melanoma has a frequency of incidence that is increasing in the population nowadays and it is a little bit higher in the females. This skin tumor tends to affect usually the adults with an age range that varies from 35 to 65 years. Cases of the melanoma skin cancer within 30 years happen rarely.

This cancer can be found in all areas of the body where the melanocytes cells are normally present. It can occur principally in the skin but also in mucous membranes, in the eye and in the meninges.

According to the World Health Organization, each year in the world are diagnosed about 160.000 cases of malignant melanoma skin cancer and the deaths linked to this dangerous disease are around 48.000 per year.

High rates of melanoma can be found in caucasian light-skinned people that live in countries with a sunny climate such as Australia, New Zealand, Northern Europe and North America.

In the majority of patients, the melanoma cancer develops on a clinically normal skin. Since most people don't develop new melanocytic nevi or moles in adulthood, if this happens, the patient should consult without delay his dermatologist for clinical evaluation of the new mole or nevus.

In other patients melanomas originate from some pre-existent mole or nevus that evolves over time changing its shape or color. In these cases too, the patient should be aware and refer as soon as possible to a specialized doctor.

Early symptoms of melanoma skin cancer are changes to the size, color, shape; bleeding or itching of existing moles or nevi; or the appearance of new skin lesions, in case of nodular melanoma.

These early symptoms or signs are summarized by the ABCDE Rule:

Asymmetry of the skin lesion.

Borders of the lesion are irregular.

Color: usually melanomas have many varied colors.

Diameter: in most cases melanomas have a diameter greater than 6 mm.

Enlarging: the lesion evolves or enlarges over time.

For detecting the melanoma tumor, visual diagnosis is commonly used these days even by health professionals and the ABCDE Rule is very important. It's highly recommended to know what a melanoma skin cancer looks like, paying attention to suspicious moles, lesions, or nevi and referring immediately to a dermatologist.

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