Melanoma is the skin cancer and is treated on the basis of the stage as well as the type of skin cancer. The doctors in Ella Lemelbaum Institute for Immuno-Oncology first perform a diagnostic test in order to investigate the stage and after that provide treatment. It is important to start with proper treatment so that the patient can get a cure in a short time and feel healthy soon.

Types Of Melanoma

The therapy is based on the type as well as the stage of the melanoma. The common types of skin cancer are

1. Superficial melanoma. 

It is the common type of skin infection in which arms, legs, chest or back is getting infected.  It starts spreading at a slow speed and then immediately spread to the whole body. 

2. Nodular melanoma

It is the second type and spread speedily as compared to the first one. Mostly check, back, head and neck infected in this type of cancer. 

3. Lentigo malignant

It is less common and mainly occurs in old people. face and neck regions are mainly affected in this type of the melanoma.

Treatment Of Melanoma

The therapy that the doctor prescribe according to the stage of the cancer is:

Stage 0 melanoma treatment

Stage zero is basically the primary level in which the tumor cell exists on the superficial epidermis layer of the skin. The doctor prescribes the excision of that layer. They remove not only melanoma cells but also a small portion of the normal skin cell so that no remains of cells present in that layer. Along with surgery, some creams are prescribed in order to have healing in a short time.

After surgery samples are sent to the laboratory in order to check the normal skin is safe or have any tumor marks on them. If these exist then a second surgery is performed.

Stage 1 melanoma

This is the level in which cancer exists in the deep layer of the skin. the major treatment includes the surgery of the wide portion of the skin. the doctor performs wide excision and just like level zero some normal skin portion is also removed. The portion is sent to the laboratory in order to check the level of infection as well as to confirm that normal skin layer is safe or not. Along with sentinel lymph node biopsy is also done to check the disease characteristics.

Along with surgery, interferons are prescribed to treat cancer properly.

Stage 2 melanoma

The more severe level than stage 1 in which the surgery is recommended. The amount of skin removed all depend on the depths of the level of the infected skin. Just like melanoma 1 lymph node biopsy and interferon injections are prescribed to provide the complete cure of the disease.

Higher stage or stage 4 melanoma treatment

This is the stage when cancer has been spread deep in the skin layer and cover most body portion. The surgery is the solution along with the adjuvant therapy like immunotherapy, chemotherapy and hormonal therapy is applied depending on the condition of the patient and location of the tumor cells.

Therapy For The Recurrent Melanoma

Sometimes it happens the tumor cells start growing again after surgery. Mainly in the same part or nearby portions of the skin. in that case, the doctors prescribe the surgery again along with the chemotherapy and radiation therapy depending on the thickness of the tumor. The chances of the recurrent increase if the lymph nodes were not removed properly in previous or primary treatment.

Side Effects Associated With Melanoma Treatment

The patient undergoing the treatment may have to suffer from following side effects.

• Baldness
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Fever
• Diarrhea
• Vitiligo
• Skin rash
• Itching
• Joint pain

The doctors prescribe antidiarrheals and anti-vomiting so that the patient doesn’t have to face annoying situation after the treatment. Along with special skin, creams are prescribed so that the patient does not feel itching, redness, and irritation in the surgery area.

Care Is Important!

If you see any sores, redness, asymmetrical moles, or spots that have changed colors then immediately go to your doctor so that treatment can be started quickly. This is because it is easy to treat the primary stages as compared to later stages of melanoma.