Melanoma (skin cancer)

Melanoma is a type of cancer that occurs in melanocytes; the cells that produce the dye melanin in the skin and give tan to your skin and moles.

The general advice is to be aware of moles that change. They can become darker, become asymmetrical in shape, be elevated and have an uneven edge.

There is melanoma that occurs in cells that do not produce melanin as well. These are relatively rare, but one should be aware of this as well, especially if someone in the family has had melanoma in the past.

Melanoma is mainly associated with moles. One should be aware that melanoma can occur anywhere on the body, even under the nails or in the eyes.

Vigilance and regular examination of moles to detect melanoma early are very important as this is the most serious form of skin cancer.

Melanoma is often divided into several variants:

Melanoma with superficial spread (Superficially spreading malignant melanoma)
Nodular melanoma (Nodular malignant melanoma)
Melanoma on sun-exposed areas (Lentigo maligna melanoma)
Melanoma of the palm of the hand, sole of the foot and mucous membranes (Acral lentiginous melanoma)
Melanomas without pigment (Amelanotic malignant melanoma)

Occurrence of Melanoma (skin cancer)

Melanocytes can sometimes begin to divide uncontrollably due to DNA damage due to the sun which some may be predisposed to due to genes. In most cases, this happens in a mole.

If uncontrolled cell division, what we often refer to as cancer, is detected early and has not spread deep into the skin, the cancerous tissue can be surgically removed.

If the melanoma has spread to deep in the skin, it must be removed quickly and the dermatologist must now also look for signs of melanoma elsewhere. This is both because you may have a genetic vulnerability to melanoma and because the case of melanoma that was removed may have triggered melanoma elsewhere in the skin.

If the melanoma has spread so far that it has spread locally or systemically (to other organs), you must be referred to an oncologist.

This is how you prevent and stay vigilant

The most important thing you can do to prevent this is to protect yourself from the sun and be diligent in using sunscreen. You should also be vigilant in checking your moles if you have many moles or if someone in your family has had them.

The general advice is to be aware of moles that change. They may darken, become asymmetric in shape, become elevated, or have an uneven border. Vigilance and regular examination of moles to detect melanoma early are very important, as this is the most serious form of skin cancer.

Occurrence of mole cancer

Melanoma is the form of cancer that is increasing the most, and in Norway a tenfold increase over the last decades is reported.

The annual incidence of melanoma in Norway is around 40 per 100,000, and the lifetime risk of developing mole cancer is around two per cent. In 2019, there were a total of 28,727 cases of mole cancer and of these, 18,824 had lived for five years or longer after the diagnosis was made. The number of new cases in Norway in 2019 was 1,202 men and 1,128 women, while in the same year 190 men and 117 women died of melanoma.

Increased risk of mole cancer

Faktorer som kan gi økt risiko for utvikling av føflekkreft er:

Et høyt antall føflekker, over 50, som måler mer enn 2 mm i diameter
Flere store føflekker, mer enn 7 mm i diameter, som er ujevne og med varierende farger
Dersom man har en nær slektning (foreldre eller søsken) med føflekkreft
Mye soleksponering uten UV-beskyttelse, solbrenthet

This is how Dr. Dropin can help you

At Dr.Dropin, you can visit experienced dermatologists who can diagnose and treat all skin disorders. Dr.Dropin is committed to providing high-quality dermatology services at a fixed and transparent price, with short waiting times.

Book an appointment with a dermatologist now.Read more about Dr. Dropin here