Melanoma

Melanoma, also redundantly known as malignant melanoma, is a type of skin cancer that develops from the pigment-producing cells known as melanocytes. Melanomas typically occur in the skin, but... Wikipedia

  • Specialty:  Oncology and dermatology
  • Symptoms:  Mole that is increasing in size, has irregular edges, change in color, itchiness, or skin breakdown.
  • Causes:  Ultraviolet light (Sun, tanning devices)
  • Risk factors:  Family history, many moles, poor immune function
  • Diagnostic method:  Tissue biopsy
  • Differential diagnosis:  Seborrheic keratosis, lentigo, blue nevus, dermatofibroma
  • Prevention:  Sunscreen, avoiding UV light
  • Treatment:  Surgery
  • Frequency:  3.1 million (2015)
  • Deaths:  59,800 (2015)
  • Data source:  DuckDuckGo