What is a major cause of melanoma?
What is a major cause of melanoma?
Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays is a major risk factor for most melanomas. Sunlight is the main source of UV rays. Tanning beds and sun lamps are also sources of UV rays. While UV rays make up only a very small portion of the sun’s rays, they are the main cause of the damaging effects of the sun on the skin.
Who gets melanoma the most?
Melanoma is more common in men overall, but before age 50 the rates are higher in women than in men. The risk of melanoma increases as people age. The average age of people when it is diagnosed is 65. But melanoma is not uncommon even among those younger than 30.
How does melanoma develop?
Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that develops when melanocytes (the cells that give the skin its tan or brown color) start to grow out of control. Cancer starts when cells in the body begin to grow out of control. Cells in nearly any part of the body can become cancer, and can then spread to other areas of the body.
What is the primary cause for skin cancer?
Ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun is the main cause of most skin cancers. UV light damages the DNA (genetic material) in our skin cells and can cause skin cancer.
Which is the leading cause of melanoma in humans?
Just what damages DNA in skin cells and how this leads to melanoma isn’t clear. It’s likely that a combination of factors, including environmental and genetic factors, causes melanoma. Still, doctors believe exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun and from tanning lamps and beds is the leading cause of melanoma.
How does a dermatologist determine the stage of melanoma?
Your dermatologist will use the information from the skin exam, physical, and skin biopsy to determine the stage of your melanoma. Your dermatologist may call this the “clinical stage.” This stage can change if cancer is found in your lymph nodes or elsewhere after more testing. The following table gives you a very simple explanation of the stages.
Where does the melanoma cells in the skin come from?
Melanoma Melanoma is a form of skin cancer that begins in the cells (melanocytes) that control the pigment in your skin. This illustration shows melanoma cells extending from the surface of the skin into the deeper skin layers.
How does exposure to the Sun lead to melanoma?
Excessive ultraviolet (UV) light exposure. Exposure to UV radiation, which comes from the sun and from tanning lights and beds, can increase the risk of skin cancer, including melanoma. Living closer to the equator or at a higher elevation.
Just what damages DNA in skin cells and how this leads to melanoma isn’t clear. It’s likely that a combination of factors, including environmental and genetic factors, causes melanoma. Still, doctors believe exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun and from tanning lamps and beds is the leading cause of melanoma.
Excessive ultraviolet (UV) light exposure. Exposure to UV radiation, which comes from the sun and from tanning lights and beds, can increase the risk of skin cancer, including melanoma. Living closer to the equator or at a higher elevation.
Melanoma Melanoma is a form of skin cancer that begins in the cells (melanocytes) that control the pigment in your skin. This illustration shows melanoma cells extending from the surface of the skin into the deeper skin layers.
What are the risk factors for melanoma recurrence?
Previous skin cancer diagnoses also increase your risk for developing melanoma. If you’ve had melanoma already, you run a risk for recurrence. You also run a risk for developing new melanomas. If you’ve had squamous cell carcinoma or basal cell carcinoma, you are also more likely to develop melanoma at some point in your life.