Melanomas are truly a silent threat. Most of the time they develop without noticeable symptoms, and they can be camouflaged as moles and irregular freckles. Melanoma is almost always curable when detected at an early stage, so regular foot inspections are something we should all take seriously. Here are some important facts and numbers about foot melanoma.
Although it might be a rare form of skin cancer, foot melanoma has some numbers that turn it into a considerable threat, reinforcing the importance of prevention and early detection:
Like every other form of cancer,melanoma also goes through a series of development stages, which should be taken into consideration:
The ideal situation would be to detect and act upon the melanoma at Stage 0, however, in most cases, we will only start to pay attention to it in stages 1 or 2 when it starts changing shape and volume. It is important to see a professional at these stages, to avoid further development in that area and elsewhere in the body.
Like we mentioned earlier, melanoma sneaks up on us if we are not paying attention. Besides the preventive measures mentioned on our previous post, you should be on the lookout for changes in the moles and skin of your feet. There are a couple of acronyms that you can use to check the spots on your skin for the possibility of melanoma:
If you notice anything resembling the symptoms described before, visit your dermatologist to get a diagnosis. After checking the size and shape of the mole or skin mark, as well as any additional symptoms that may occur, the dermatologist might choose to perform a biopsy. A biopsy involves removing a sample of the skin/mole to be examined on a microscope.
After analyzing the tissue sample, your doctor will be able to tell if there is malignant cell growth, as well as how fast it is developing and if it is spreading to other areas of the body. Depending on the results, your specialist will help you with the next steps of prevention or treatment.
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