2023-05-23 08:58:46
May 23, World Melanoma Day. Periodic screenings are one of the tools for early detection of this cancer, the worst skin cancer
Image courtesy of CILAD
Periodic screening to detect melanoma early, which affects 16 people out of 100,000 in Spain. More than 7,000 new cases are detected annually, almost all in people over 45 years of age, according to data from the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM) and the Spanish Network of Cancer Registries (REDECAN).
The disease originates when melanocytes, the cells that give skin its tan color, begin to grow out of control.
Although it is less frequent than other types of skin cancer, its almost silent nature increases the risk that it will spread to different parts of the body if it is not detected in time.
This is the reason why Dr. José Luis López Estebaranz, president of the Ibero-Latin American College of Dermatology (CILAD) highlights: “That is why it is important to carry out periodic check-ups with a dermatology specialist, since it can help us to discover the problem early and will make your treatment much easier and your complications much fewer.”
alarm signals
Melanoma-type tumors are usually brown or black in color, although they can also appear in pink or reddish tones.
The most frequent areas of appearance are the chest and back in men, and the legs in women, as well as the neck and face.
However, they can also develop on the palms of the hands, the soles of the feet or under the nails (which are detected, mainly, in black people) and, rarely, in the eyes, mouth , the genitals and the anal area.
CILAD points out that the risk factors that occur in each patient must also be taken into account: family history, mature or advanced age and a history of excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation, both from the sun and from tanning booths; These are some of the variables that can favor its appearance.
“The skin is an organ that has memory; If we have suffered from sunburn in our childhood and youth we must be alert. Intense ultraviolet radiation in youth damages cellular DNA and increases the risk of skin cancer with age,” says Dr. López Estebaranz.
This organization also advises that attention be paid when moles (called nevi) are located with an abnormal, asymmetrical shape, which can even appear on the scalp. And to those who present at birth, especially if they are very large, since they have a higher risk of becoming melanomas.
“People with very white skin who burn or freckle easily need to be especially careful -says the president of CILAD-. Also if there is a history between first-degree relatives (parents, siblings, children), since it is estimated that 10% of cases have this link. Or those who have suffered from any other type of skin cancer or who have a weakened immune system.
El ERROR
With more than 70 years of history, the Ibero-Latin American College of Dermatology (ERROR) represents more than 5,000 active dermatologists from 21 Latin American countries, as well as Spain and Portugal.
It was founded in 1948 in Havana (Cuba) with the aim of promoting the scientific development of the specialty and promoting the fraternal ties of Hispanic and Portuguese dermatologists.
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