Each type has pros and cons. The choice of which type to use depends on your own case. Lab tests of biopsy samples: If melanoma is found, lab tests might be done on the cancer cells to see if they have certain gene changes.
This might affect your treatment options. Chest x-ray: This test may be done to see if the melanoma has spread to your lungs. Ultrasound: This test uses sound waves and their echoes to make pictures of the inside of your body. Ultrasound might be used to look at lymph nodes small collections of immune cells near the tumor to see if the cancer has spread there.
A CT scan may be used to see if nearby lymph nodes are swollen or if organs like the lungs or liver have spots that might be from the spread of melanoma. If any spots are found, a CT scan might be used to guide a needle into the spots to do a biopsy.
MRI scan: This test uses radio waves and strong magnets instead of x-rays to make detailed pictures of your insides. It's very good for looking at the brain and spinal cord. This test can help show if the cancer has spread. PET scan: PET scans use a special kind of sugar that can be seen inside your body with a special camera. This test can help show if and where the cancer has spread.
If you have melanoma, the doctor will want to find out how far it has spread. This is called staging. Your doctor will want to find out the stage of your cancer to help decide what type of treatment is best for you.
The stage describes the growth or spread of the melanoma through the skin. It also tells if it has spread to other parts of your body. Your cancer can be stage 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4. The lower the number, the less the cancer has spread. A higher number, like stage 4, means a more serious cancer that has spread beyond the skin. Be sure to ask the doctor about the cancer stage and what it means for you. There are many ways to treat melanoma. The main types of treatment are:. Most early stage melanomas can be treated with surgery alone.
More advanced cancers need other treatments. Surgery is the main treatment for most melanomas. It can often cure early-stage melanomas. There are different kinds of surgery. Ask your doctor what kind of surgery you will have and what to expect. Any type of surgery can have risks and side effects. Be sure to ask the doctor what you can expect. If you have problems, let your doctors know. The treatment itself only takes a few minutes and is not painful. Radiotherapy treatment for melanoma does not make you radioactive, so it's quite safe to be close to your partner, children and others during the course of treatment.
It's common for people with cancer to seek out complementary or alternative treatments. When used alongside your conventional cancer treatment, some of these therapies can make you feel better and improve your quality of life.
Others may not be so helpful and in some cases may be harmful. It is important to tell all your healthcare professionals about any complementary medicines you are taking. Never stop taking your conventional treatment without consulting your doctor first. All treatments can have side effects. These days, new treatments are available that can help to make many side effects much less severe than they were in the past.
Ninety per cent of Victorians are alive 5 years after a diagnosis of melanoma. The prognosis is better for women than for men. Your medical history is unique, so you will need to discuss with your doctor what you can expect and the treatment options that are best for you. If your cancer has spread and it is not possible to cure it by surgery, your doctor may still recommend treatment.
In this case, treatment may help to relieve symptoms, might make you feel better and may allow you to live longer. Whether or not you choose to have anti-cancer treatment, symptoms can still be controlled. For example, if you have pain, there are effective treatments for this. General practitioners, specialists and palliative care teams in hospitals all play important roles in helping people with cancer.
Most people treated for early melanoma do not have further trouble with the disease. However, when there is a chance that the melanoma may have spread to other parts of your body, you will need regular check-ups. Your doctor will decide how often you will need check-ups — everyone is different. They will become less frequent if you have no further problems. After treatment for melanoma it is important to limit exposure to the sun's UV radiation.
A combination of sun protection measures clothing, hat, shade, sunscreen and sunglasses should be used during sun protection times whenever UV index levels are forecast to be 3 or above. As biological family members usually share similar traits, your family members may also have an increased risk of developing melanoma and other skin cancers.
They can reduce their risk by spending less time in the sun and using a combination of sun protection measures during sun protection times. It is important to monitor your skin regularly and if you notice any changes in your skin, or enlarged lymph glands near to where you had the cancer, see your specialist as soon as possible.
Caring for someone with cancer can be a difficult and emotional time. If you or someone you know is caring for someone with skin cancer you may find it helpful to download and read some of the Cancer Council Victoria booklets. This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:.
Bedbugs have highly developed mouth parts that can pierce skin. Before a biopsy, you need to discuss a range of issues with your doctor or surgeon. In most cases, we do not know what causes birthmarks. Most are harmless, happen by chance and are not caused by anything the mother did wrong in pregnancy.
If you are bitten or stung by an insect or animal, apply first aid and seek medical treatment as soon as possible. Bladder cancer affects twice as many men as women. Content on this website is provided for information purposes only.
Information about a therapy, service, product or treatment does not in any way endorse or support such therapy, service, product or treatment and is not intended to replace advice from your doctor or other registered health professional.
The information and materials contained on this website are not intended to constitute a comprehensive guide concerning all aspects of the therapy, product or treatment described on the website.
All users are urged to always seek advice from a registered health care professional for diagnosis and answers to their medical questions and to ascertain whether the particular therapy, service, product or treatment described on the website is suitable in their circumstances.
The State of Victoria and the Department of Health shall not bear any liability for reliance by any user on the materials contained on this website.
Skip to main content. Home Skin. Actions for this page Listen Print. Summary Read the full fact sheet. The chances of curing a melanoma drop sharply once it spreads, or metastasizes, beyond the original tumor site.
Normally, the first place a melanoma tumor metastasizes to is the lymph nodes, by literally draining melanoma cells into the lymphatic fluid, which carries the melanoma cells through the lymphatic channels to the nearest lymph node basin. Lymphatic fluid is an important part of the immune system that bathes the tissues, and is responsible for carrying foreign invaders like bacteria to the lymph nodes, where these invaders are destroyed by the lymphocytes, the white blood cells.
Unfortunately, when melanoma cells are carried to the lymph nodes, they can potentially be carried beyond the nodes to distant organs. The five-year survival rate then drops to around 62 percent because of the high risk that the cancer can spread from the nodes throughout the body. Once a tumor has spread to distant body sites such as organs, it is considered a stage IV melanoma, with an estimated five-year survival rate of only 18 percent in the U.
These survival figures are improving every year because of new treatments some therapies are keeping as much as 40 percent of stage IV patients alive for years , but they are no substitute for early detection. Every melanoma has the potential to become deadly, but the difference between an in situ melanoma and one that has begun to metastasize cannot be overstated.
There is a drastic change in the survival rate for the various stages of tumors, highlighting the importance of detecting and treating melanomas before they have a chance to progress. These skin exams can help you take note of any new or changing lesions that have the potential to be cancerous, and have them biopsied and taken care of before they can escalate.
0コメント