Melanoma is a malignant tumour of a cell that causes pigmentation in the skin. The identification and treatment of such tumours is essential for increasing survival rates. Early identification and treatment of melanoma is critical, as treatment becomes more complex and difficult once cancer cells spread to other parts of the body.
The identification of melanoma can be done by observing changes in moles or spots on the skin. Using ABCDE rules helps identify suspected melanoma:
A (asymmetrical): Half of the mole looks different from the other half, as if it had been cut off irregularly.
B (boundary): Marginality is irregular, vague or uneven, as if it were a coastline.
C (Colour): Colours are uneven and may contain many colours, such as brown, black, red, white or blue, like the colours on the palette mixed together.
D (diameter): greater than 6 mm in diameter (approximately pencil rubber wipe) and larger than the usual mole.
E (evolution): Changes in size, shape, colour or height, or new symptoms such as itching or haemorrhaging, such as the sudden rise of a static pond.
The prevention of melanoma primarily involves the avoidance of excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation, including:
1. Avoid long periods of outdoor activity during periods of intense sunlight (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.), as if it were to avoid storms.
Using broad spectrum sunscreen, SPF values are at least 30 and are able to protect against UVA and UVB radiation, like wearing a protective coat for skin.
3. The wearing of protective clothing, such as long-sleeved shirts, wide-banded caps and sunglasses, is like wearing armor to protect themselves from harm.
Skin checks are carried out on a regular basis and changes in moles and spots are detected and treated in a timely manner, as is the search for weeds in the home garden.
The treatment of melanoma depends on the thickness of the tumor, its spread and the general health of the patient. Treatment may include:
Surgery: Remove the tumor and a certain range of normal skin around it, like triming aging flowers and retaining healthy plant.
(b) Demobilization: The use of high-energy rays to kill cancer cells is like the precise cutting of materials with lasers.
chemotherapy: The use of drugs to kill cancer cells is like the use of drugs to remove harmful bacteria from the body.
Immunization treatment: Activating or enhancing the ability of the immune system to fight cancer cells, like training soldiers to defend the country.
Target treatment: Treatment of genes or proteins that are specific to cancer cells, just as precision guided missiles hit a target.
In recent years, with the rapid development of medical science and technology, some innovative therapies have created new hope for melanoma patients.
Photodynamic therapy (PDT), for example, is a new treatment combining photo-sensitizers and specific wavelength light. The doctor gives the patient a special photo-sensitizer, which accumulates within the cancer cell. The doctor then uses a specific wavelength light for exposure, and the photo-sensitizer produces a chemical reaction under the light, thereby destroying the cancer cell. This method has significant therapeutic effects on certain specific types of melanoma, especially shallow tumours. In addition, cutting-edge technologies such as gene therapy and cell therapy have shown great potential in the treatment of melanoma. Genetic therapy enables patients to resist the growth and spread of cancer cells by modifying their genes. Cell therapy, on the other hand, uses the patient ‘ s own immunocellular cells, which are processed in a laboratory and re-injected into the patient to identify and attack cancer cells. These innovative treatments not only improve treatment outcomes but also reduce the side effects of traditional treatments.
However, early detection and treatment of melanoma can significantly increase the cure rate. It is therefore important to conduct regular skin checks and self-inspection, such as regular inspections of electrical equipment at home to ensure that there are no safety hazards. If any suspicious changes are detected, the dermatologist or a medical professional should be consulted immediately, as in the mist, to find a lighthouse, to seek the right direction and help.
