AMELANOTIC MELANOMA PICTURES
Amelanotic Melanoma is a group of skin cancer types that form tan, blue, black, or brown pigments on the skin. Amelanotic melanoma is a cancer-specific to skin that does not produce enough melanin to have a distinctive tint and therefore appears similar to the skin. Around 2 to 20% of the overall melanoma cases constitute amelanotic melanoma; therefore, its prevalence is rare [1]
An individual's DNA is responsible for controlling the growth of cells; therefore, any changes in the genetic structure cause an uncontrollable growth of cells that are often cancerous. The genetic change might result from hereditary traits or exposure to ultraviolet rays. The body produces an abnormal amount of cancerous skin cells due to a weak immune system, racial factors and fair skin. The minimum life expectancy of individuals suffering from amelanotic melanoma is around five years, with an expectancy rate of 90%, irrespective of the phase at which the melanoma has reached.
Amelanotic melanoma
The pigments produced through amelanotic melanoma are often pink, red or skin-coloured, surrounded by brown or grey-coloured borders, usually forming a mole-like pigment patch. Therefore, the pigmentation caused by it appears like a mole. Over some time, the mole-like structure becomes exceptionally thick, and its texture changes and grows to cover more areas of the skin. A medical expert can first analyze the symptoms and then suggest that the diagnosis through a skin biopsy aids in detecting cancerous cells. Imaging methodologies like CT scans and MRI can also catch the invasiveness of the cancerous cells to other body parts.
During its initial stages, melanoma is present only at the outer layer of the skin and is hardly any different from a mole or mark concerning its colour and shape. However, in its last phase, the cancerous cells invade other organs like the lymph nodes, brain, liver, digestive system and lungs and spread to the entire skin.
Pink melanoma
Pink melanoma is also invisible melanoma and begins as a tiny patch of skin-coloured pigment on the skin. However, it develops into a pink patch of colouring as it progresses. It mainly occurs in white individuals and is not a unique pigment. Since it does not have a distinctive colour, it looks like a harmless skin mole, due to which misdiagnosis occurs. However, its misdiagnosis can significantly impact its treatment as they thrive quickly if not taken care of within a specific period.
Melanoma symptoms and pictures
Melanoma is a skin pigmentation caused by the presence of cancerous cells. The following are the common symptoms of melanoma:
- Evident skin pigmentation that causes marks at the areas like hands, legs, back and faces where exposure to sunlight is apparent is common in individuals experiencing melanoma (Refer Figure 1).
- Changes in the colour of existing moles also indicate the presence of amelanotic melanoma.
- Continuous growth in the pigmentation of skin cells changes the melanoma marks' size, shape and density.
- At times, the melanoma marks might be itchy, ulcerous and bleeding for specific individuals.
Figure 1: Skin pigmentation spots on the body caused due to melanoma [3]
As seen in figure 1, it is visible that the spots can also occur in clusters at random positions. A small lump or bump on the stippled areas indicates cancerous cells. Its distinctive identification can be made by examining it and understanding its surface through medical experts.
Pictures of Red Moles
Red moles are the dense mass of skin with a red blister-like appearance since they tend to bleed due to the many blood vessels inside them. Its occurrence is rare, and around 8% of the total amelanotic cases consist of red moles [1]. Brown or dark red borders surround the red spots due to blood vessel constriction due to the presence of cancerous cells, making it look like a mole instead of a pigmentation spot.
Figure 2: Appearance of red moles on the skin
[2]
At first, a melanoma may look like a harmless red mole or even be visible as a pimple, but the growth of these red moles is vigorous in nature which is more evident in affected adults and children. Therefore, it is essential to differentiate it from normal moles. A cancerous red mole consists of irregular pigmentation even after the border of the mole is over. Tenderness, itching and pain accompany the red mole, and it does not easily eradicate or come back after a certain period. Also, the formation of a lump in the area where the mole is present distinguishes the cancerous moles from the normal moles.
Conclusion
Amelanotic melanoma does not have distinct marks that can help healthcare experts diagnose it quickly and efficiently and has a low prevalence. It has a low survival as its misdiagnosis is evident due to its indistinguishable nature. Therefore, biopsies or imaging techniques can help diagnose the phase and intensity of amelanotic melanoma. Surgical methods that remove cancerous cells can be the most effective in eradicating amelanotic cancer during its initial stages when cancer has not spread to other organs or the entire skin. Radiation therapy has the potential to kill harmful cancerous cells.
In contrast, immunotherapy techniques can improve the immune system of suffering individuals and help the body fight cancerous cells. Target therapy specific to certain genes or the production of the protein responsible for causing cancer can eradicate the cause of cancer and can be distinctive based on each individual. Chemotherapy, one of the most common treatments for cancer, uses drugs to halt or slow the growth of cancerous cells. An electric current or laser treatment tends to eradicate or decrease the concentration of cancerous cells.
Amelanotic Melanoma - References
- ^ Dallas R English et. al. (2022). Incidence of New and Changed Nevi and Melanomas Detected Using Baseline Images and Dermoscopy in Patients at High Risk for Melanoma: Influence Statistics. Retrieved 6 Dec 2022.
- ^ Thomas N., et. al. (2014). Comparison of Clinicopathologic Features and Survival of Histopathologically Amelanotic and Pigmented Melanomas: A Population-Based Study. Jama Dermatology, 150(12), pp. 1306–1314. https://doi.org/10.1001%2Fjamadermatol.2014.1348. Retrieved 6 Dec 2022.
- ^ McCourt C. et al. (2014). Malignant Melanoma: A Pictorial Review. Ulster Medical Journal, 83(2), 103–110. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4113154/. Retrieved 6 Dec 2022.
- ^ CDC (n.d.). What Are the Symptoms of Skin Cancer? https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/skin/basic_info/symptoms.htm. Retrieved 6 Dec 2022.
