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Causes of melanoma. Ultraviolet light exposure from the sun or from tanning beds causes most melanomas. Melanoma may appear at a spot where you have an existing mole. But if an unusual spot shows ...
Melanoma is the most dangerous type of skin cancer; it develops from the melanin-producing cells known as melanocytes. [1] It typically occurs in the skin, but may rarely occur in the mouth, intestines, or eye (uveal melanoma). [1] [2] In women, melanomas most commonly occur on the legs; while in men, on the back. [2]
A mole can be either subdermal (under the skin) or a pigmented growth on the skin, formed mostly of a type of cell known as a melanocyte. The high concentration of the body's pigmenting agent, melanin, is responsible for their dark color. Moles are a member of the family of skin lesions known as nevi (singular "nevus"), occurring commonly in ...
However, a melanocytic nevus is benign, and melanoma is malignant. Most melanocytic nevi never evolve into a cancer, with the lifetime risk for an individual nevus being 1 in 3000 for men and 1 in 11 000 for women. [5] Moreover, dermatologists have a standardized system for determining whether a skin lesion is suspicious for malignant melanoma.
Spitz nevus is the medical name for a benign mole. They share a similar appearance with other moles, some that are cancerous. Learn more here.
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Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed form of cancer in humans. [11] [12] [13] There are three main types of skin cancers: basal-cell skin cancer (BCC), squamous-cell skin cancer (SCC) and melanoma. [1] The first two, along with a number of less common skin cancers, are known as nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC).
What it looks like: Actinic keratoses are pre-cancerous changes to the skin caused by sun damage, explains Dr. Zeichner. “The rash feels like sandpaper when you run your fingers over it.”