Melanin is a pigment that gives color to human skin. These special cells are sometimes at risk of becoming cancerous. Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that develops in these cells. This condition is not confined only to the skin; it can also occur in the eyes and sometimes in the nose or throat. Melanoma treatment depends on its location and the malignancy stage. Some of the early-stage melanoma treatment options are explained below.

Causes
Melanoma can be caused by hereditary or genetic factors, environmental conditions, and exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Melanoma occurs when the DNA of the melanin cells is damaged, and the mutated new cells grow uncontrollably. Hence, such patients must be able to detect the symptoms and opt for early-stage melanoma treatment.

Symptoms
The highest-risk areas for melanoma are areas of the skin with the highest exposure to the sun. It could be the back, legs, arms, and face. Sometimes melanoma can occur in areas not exposed to the sun. These are the soles of the feet, palms of the hands, and the bed of the fingernails. This type of melanoma occurs in people with darker skin. The first signs and symptoms that one needs to look for include any changes in the size of an existing mole and if any fresh pigmentation or unusual skin growth occurs. The challenge in diagnosing melanoma in the pre-initial stages is that it does not always happen as a mole. Many times, it can appear on skin that is very normal in its appearance. Hence, standard early-stage melanoma treatment options depend on its type and source.

Types
Non-cancerous moles have a uniform coloring with a distinct border that separates the mole from the skin. Most moles usually appear in childhood, while new moles are formed till the age of 40 years. Most normal moles may change in appearance after some time, and many may even disappear as you age. In the case of cancerous moles, the shape could be symmetric, the border is irregular, there is an uneven distribution of color, and the diameter of the mole could be more than 14 inches. It may also continue to change over time in terms of size, color, or shape. Many times, such cancerous moles could itch or bleed. The second category of melanoma is hidden melanoma which happens when melanoma occurs under a nail, in the mouth, in the digestive tract, the urinary tract, or the vagina due to the mucous membrane of the lining of these areas. Melanoma in the eye is also called ocular melanoma and occurs in the white layer of the eye. It causes vision loss.

Diagnosis and Therapy
The spread of melanoma can be identified only by measuring the tumor’s thickness. Early stages of melanoma are called localized melanoma and indicate no distant metastases. Early-stage melanoma treatment mainly involves melanoma removal, testing, or a biopsy of lymph nodes around the melanoma for evidence of spread and prevention of spread or melanoma recurrence. Some standard treatment options include surgery, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy. Sometimes, a topical application – imiquimod cream (Zyclara) – is also recommended depending on the patient’s condition.

Surgery
In initial-stage melanoma, the growth is limited to only the first layer – the skin or epidermis. This type of melanoma is removed along with marginal normal skin by making a wide surgical excision. The removed skin area is probed under the microscope, and if there are traces of melanocytes along the edges of the normal skin, a wider excision is made. When melanoma is in sensitive areas such as the face, a specific procedure called Mohs surgery is performed. Sometimes, this could be treated with imiquimod cream as well, as surgery would leave a scar.

Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy is explored if the patient’s situation demands such treatment. Most doctors may recommend it as part of routine treatment.

Adjuvant therapies
After surgical melanoma removal to prevent recurrence and stop the spread of cancer cells, one of the following methods under adjuvant therapies is explored.

Immunotherapy
Antibodies like Nivolumab, ipilimumab, or pembrolizumab are administered to control the immune system. These critical treatments, called “checkpoint inhibitors,” are used for high-risk melanoma patients.

Targeted therapy
Treatment focuses on the area of mutation or abnormality. In this line of treatment, two options are used – dabrafenib and trametinib. These are known to improve the survival of patients in an effective manner. However, these two options have not been compared with immunotherapy agents. The comparison is difficult since targeted therapy agents are typically used with patients with specific mutations.

Melanoma prevention
The primary precautions to prevent melanoma include avoiding direct sunlight in the middle of the day, using sunscreen, wearing protective clothing to block UVA and UVB radiation, and avoiding using tanning lamps and standing beds.

If melanoma is diagnosed early, proper treatment can be administered to eliminate cancer. Contact a skin cancer expert to learn more about detecting melanoma early and initiating early-stage melanoma therapy.