Subscribe
Melanoma
Melanoma stage IV is the fourth stage.
Melanoma stage IV refers to the fourth stage of melanoma, where IV represents the Roman numeral for 4. Stage IV melanoma means that the melanoma is no longer confined to the local lesion but has metastasized to distant organs. The most common locations for melanoma include the skin and mucous membranes, with typical metastatic sites including the lungs, brain, liver, etc. Once diagnosed as stage IV, there are no indications for surgical treatment. Treatment primarily involves a comprehensive approach combining chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy.
Does melanoma protrude above the surface of the skin?
Melanoma is generally raised above the surface of the skin. Melanoma is a type of special malignant tumor with a high mortality rate. It usually arises from moles or pigmented spots on the skin that, after intense irritation or specific radiation exposure, undergo changes, leading to gradual growth. Early detection of melanoma offers a significant chance of cure. Melanoma is typically confined to the outer layer of the skin or epidermis. Once melanoma spreads, it becomes difficult to treat, and the chances of survival decrease. Therefore, if you suspect that you have melanoma, it is crucial to visit a dermatology department at a reputable hospital for diagnosis and to undergo surgical removal followed by a pathological examination.
Is it better for melanoma to have a BRAF mutation or not to have a BRAF mutation?
Melanoma is a type of skin cancer with a very high malignancy. Before targeted drugs were available, patients with BRAF gene mutations indicated a poorer prognosis for melanoma. The mutation of the BRAF gene promotes the progression of melanoma. However, with the advancement of current clinical research, patients with melanoma having BRAF mutations have a better therapeutic effect with BRAF inhibitor targeted therapy. After adopting this targeted drug treatment, the cure rate has significantly increased, and the prognosis of patients has markedly improved. Therefore, patients with BRAF-mutated melanoma can benefit from targeted therapy.
Stage IV melanoma is what stage?
Melanoma stage IV is stage 4, where IV is the Roman numeral for 4. Stage IV melanoma means that the melanoma is no longer confined to the site of origin and has metastasized to distant organs. Melanoma commonly originates in the skin and mucous membranes, with the most common sites of metastasis being the lymph nodes and lungs. Once melanoma reaches stage 4, the opportunity for curative surgery is lost. Treatment primarily involves immunotherapy, targeted molecular therapy, etc., and is incurable.
Is melanoma flat or raised?
Melanoma generally is not flat, also known as malignant melanoma, which is a highly malignant cancer originating from melanocytes, commonly occurring in the skin. Men over the age of 60 are a high-risk group, with the most commonly affected areas being the lower limbs and feet, followed by the trunk, head and neck, or upper limbs. Symptoms mainly include rapidly growing melanotic nodules. Initially, normal skin becomes heavily pigmented, or pigmented moles darken and increase in pigment. The skin lesions continually enlarge and harden, accompanied by itching and pain. The lesions of melanoma may be raised, patchy, or nodular, and some may even resemble cauliflower.
How to distinguish whether melanoma is benign or cancerous
Melanomas are always malignant; there are no benign melanomas. Benign lesions are called pigmented nevi, which are usually classified into three types: intradermal nevi, junctional nevi, and compound nevi. When a pigmented nevus becomes malignant, it is then referred to as melanoma. Therefore, in clinical practice, when we mention melanoma, we are referring to malignant melanoma. Malignant melanoma is staged based on the degree of invasion and whether it has metastasized. Treatment methods vary depending on the stage, and there are differences in treatment approaches. Therefore, if a pigmented nevus visibly enlarges over a short period, and shows symptoms such as ulceration, bleeding, or pain, it is necessary to promptly visit a reputable hospital's dermatology department for surgical removal, followed by a pathological examination.
Is laser treatment or surgical removal better for melanoma?
Regarding whether laser treatment or surgical excision is better for melanoma, the answer is clear: surgical excision is better. Melanoma originates from melanocytes and is not limited to one layer of the skin. Therefore, for melanoma of the skin, the infiltration depth can sometimes be profound, reaching the dermis layer. Laser treatment sometimes only covers a superficial depth, which cannot achieve complete removal. Surgical excision can completely remove deeper infiltrative parts of the melanoma, and after the excision, complete tissues can be obtained for pathological examination, which helps in staging after the surgery and guides treatment post-surgery. Laser treatment does not offer these benefits. Therefore, current guidelines recommend surgical excision for the treatment of melanoma and do not recommend laser treatment.
Is melanoma flat or raised?
Melanoma is generally raised and does not have a fixed shape. In the early stages of local growth, melanoma appears flat. As the tumor grows and proliferates, some protrusions may occur, but protrusions should not be equated with malignancy. If a previously flat mole suddenly becomes raised, one should be vigilant about the possibility of malignancy. However, a raised mole is not necessarily melanoma; there are some intradermal nevi or benign skin lesions, and other types of skin cancers can also manifest as raised changes. Therefore, if there are some melanocytic nevi on the skin that quickly develop symptoms such as ulceration, bleeding, pain, or itching, it is important to promptly visit a dermatology department at a standard hospital for an examination and, if necessary, surgical removal and pathological investigation.
Does melanoma feel painful when pressed?
Melanoma is a highly malignant skin cancer, and clinically, some patients may experience pain when pressing on the lesion area. The reason for the pain is mainly due to the rapid growth of the melanoma, leading to compression of local tissues or the optic nerve and urgency, resulting in a painful sensation. This pain can exist even without pressing, and ulcerative lesions can occur in some affected areas, leading to symptoms such as pain, bleeding, and infection. In addition to pain upon local compression, patients with melanoma may also experience inflammatory changes such as redness, swelling, heat, and pain, causing some clinical symptoms of fever.
Can a melanoma heal by itself if it ruptures?
Melanoma cannot heal itself once it has ruptured. Melanoma is a type of malignant tumor, and if melanoma occurs, it is crucial to cooperate actively with the doctor to perform excision surgery. After the surgical removal, pathological examination must be carried out, and treatment should be sought promptly to avoid delaying the condition. If there is bleeding, ulceration, pain, or a significant increase in the size of skin pigmented moles, it is highly suspect for malignant transformation, and one should promptly visit a dermatology department at a formal hospital for examination. If malignant transformation is possible, it is critical to perform surgery early and conduct a pathological examination. The symptoms of melanoma are related to the age of onset; in younger patients, it usually presents as itching, changes in the color of the lesions, and expanding borders, while older patients typically exhibit noticeable ulceration of the lesions.