Is my mole a melanoma?
Most of us appreciate a warm summer and we love the heat. Tempting as it is to soak up in the sun, it is important to be mindful of the harm that the sun can do. Melanoma is an uncontrolled growth of the pigment cells in the skin and is the most dangerous of the skin cancers seen in general practice, Melanomas may be tan, dark brown, black, red, blue,or grey in appearance or even a combination of these. A darker skin will provide better protection against UV rays. About one in fifteen white skinned New Zealanders develop a melanoma in their lifetime. For men it is the third most common type of cancer after prostate and bowel cancer. For women, it is the third most common cancer after breast and bowel cancer. Australia and New Zealand have the highest rates of melanoma in the world. Twenty-five percent of melanomas occur in an existing mole. The others are new spots. Those with a history of melanomas in their family are more at risk . Melanomas are more common on the back in men and on the legs in women. However, they can appear anywhere even occasionally in the back of the eye. Melanomas are especially dangerous because of their ability to move to other parts of the body, or metastasise. Spots with an irregular outline, asymmetry, colour variation, a diameter over six millimetres are of most concern. Inflammation should also be monitored.Your health professional will be able to identify suspicious moles. A decision will be made as to whether the mole needs to be removed and the sample tested. This is a procedure which can be undertaken by a General Practitioner under local anaesthetic. It takes approximately thirty minutes. Stitches are usually required and then removed in a week. By that time the Pathologist will have analysed the sample and looked for the thickness and type of mole. They will provide your doctor with a diagnosis and advise if further treatment is required. This may lead to a wider excision of skin and or specialist referral. Early treatment is important and regular skin checks are recommended. Enjoy the summer while it lasts but make sure that you protect yourself and your family from the sun’s harm with sun screen, hats and sensible clothing to reduce the risk of melanoma.
