Central Problem:

Is Melanoma indeed an old Person’s Disease?

Sub-Problems:•What is Melanoma?•Causes of Melanoma•Risk Factors of Melanoma•Identification and Prevention of Melanoma

Observations• 20-year-old, Judy• Fair-haired and fair-skinned• She spends hours in the sun• She always gets sunburn.• Mariah, her friend who has black

hair, seems to be able to get suntan effortlessly.

• She noticed a mole on her leg that looks weird and keeps on itching.

What do we know?

• Melanoma is a type of Skin Cancer and is a malignant tumor of the skin.

• UV light from sun can cause mutations in DNA.

• DNA mutations over many years can cause certain cell cycle genes called “Proto-oncogenes” to become super-active.

What do we know?

• Not all tumors are considered cancerous and life threatening.

• Getting tumor suppressor gene with one good copy and one mutated copy can cause cancer if the good copy is also mutated some other time during our life.

What do we need to know?

• Symptoms of Melanoma• Causes of Melanoma• Dangers of Melanoma• Prevention

Definition of Terms

1. Melanoma- a malignant tumor of the melanocytes2. Dysplastic Nevis- a mole whose appearance is different from

that of common moles. Dysplastic nevi are generally larger than ordinary moles and have irregular and indistinct borders.

3. Melanocytes are melanin-producing cells located in the bottom layer (the stratum basale) of the skin's epidermis

4. Melanin- a pigment produced by the Melanocytes which gives skin its color and also acts as a sunscreen to protect against ultraviolet radiation.

5. Cancer- known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth.

Definition of Terms

6. Ultraviolet Rays-are invisible rays that are part of the energy that comes from the sun.

7. Sunburn is a burn to living tissue, such as skin, which is produced by overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, commonly from the sun's rays.

8. Tumor- also called as neoplasm, means that cells have divided and piled up on one another in a single mass. Maybe a benign tumor or malignant tumor.

9. Malignancy- is the tendency of a medical condition, especially tumors, to become progressively worse and to potentially result in death.

10. Tan- is a pale, tawny shade of brown.

WHAT IS MELANOMA?

• It begins with the Melanocytes found in the epidermis whose function is to produce Melanin which protects the skin from UV rays.

• When the DNA of the Melanocyte is damaged and sustain genetic damage, the cells may not grow and divide properly, they can begin growing out of control.

•The deadliest Skin Cancer.•No longer consider an Old Person’s Disease.

CAUSES OF MELANOMA

Causes of Melanoma

• Exposure to Ultraviolet Rays from natural (Sunlight) or artificial (tanning beds) sources.

• Genetic Factors:– abnormal moles (dysplastic nevi) – Family History of Melanoma

RISK FACTORS OF MELANOMA

Risk Factors of Melanoma

• People with Fair Skin and Light hair– Light-skinned people have less

melanin and are thus at more risk for damage from sun exposure than darker-skinned people, who have more melanin.

• Sunburns– Every time you burn your skin, you

increase your risk of developing melanoma and other skin cancers

Risk Factors of Melanoma• Using Tanning Beds– Occasionally using tanning Beds can triple the

chances of getting Melanoma.• Diagnosis of Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Before– People who had other kinds of skin cancer are at a

higher risk.

IDENTIFICATION AND PREVENTION OF MELANOMA

Identifying Melanoma• Remember the A-B-C-D-E Rule:

A. Asymmetry: one half of the mole/lesion doesn’t match the other half.

B. Border: edges of the mole/lesion are ragged, blotched, or blurred.

C. Color: the color of the mole/lesion is not uniform.

D. Diameter: the mole/lesion is greater than 6 mm wide.

E. Evolving Lesion: any mole or lesion that has evolved, or changed, is cause to see a dermatologist.

Prevention and Sun Safety

• Generally apply sunscreen to all exposed skin.– Even on cloudy days and re-apply

sunscreen every two hours• Wear Protective clothing– Such as pants, long sleeved shirts, wide

brimmed hat and sunglasses when you know that you’ll be exposed to sunlight.

• Seek Shade– Remember that the sun’s rays are

strongest between 10am and 4pm.

Prevention and Sun Safety

• Do not Burn your Skin– Severe sunburns specially during

childhood, increase risks of developing melanoma and other skin cancer.

• Avoid intentional tanning and indoor tanning beds– Current research indicates there is no

way to get a tan through ultraviolet exposure without increasing the risk for skin cancer.

Conclusion

• Since Judy is a white-skinned and red-haired person, unlike Mariah who has black hair, she has less melanin that will cause her to become more prone to skin cancer.

• The mole that appeared on her leg that looks weird maybe a symptom of Melanoma.

Conclusion

• It is also possible that Judy inherited one mutated copy of Tumor suppressor gene and because of lying under the sun her good copy of the gene might have been mutated too and that might cause why she can possibly have Melanoma.

• Therefore Judy should immediately be diagnosed for early detection and a better outcome.

Conclusion

• Melanoma is not necessarily an old person’s disease, research shows that the increase may be partly related to ultraviolet (UV) sun exposure during childhood.

Conclusion• Melanoma is the most dangerous of all the skin cancers. It affects

all ages and undetected melanoma can grow downward into the skin until it reaches the blood vessels and lymphatic system.

• These two systems can act like a highway for the cancer cells, allowing them easy access to distant organs like the lungs or the brain. That's why early detection is so important.

References/Sources

• Title: Protecting yourself against the Deadliest Skin Cancer: Melanoma– By: Joel Wiszniak, MD – http://www.lef.org

• Title: Melanoma Risk Factors– By: Melanoma Research foundation – http://www.melanoma.org

References/Sources

• Title: Melanoma– By: KidsHealth Editorial Staff– http://kidshealth.org

• Other sources:– Wikipedia– Web definitions– Merriam Webster Dictionary