3 Features of Melanoma That Affect Treatment
Once you have been diagnosed with melanoma, your doctors will determine the best course of treatment. There are several methods of controlling or curing melanoma, depending on the severity of the condition. Read on to learn more about these skin cancer treatments.
Lesion Features
Information about the size, depth, and ulceration of the primary lesion is important for staging purposes and treatment decisions. Sometimes melanoma is caught when the primary lesion is small and there is no indication that the lesion has reached the deeper layers of skin. Additionally, if the lesion has not broken through the skin (ulcerated) this is considered a more favorable feature.
All cases of melanoma are treated with surgical removal, but even small lesions may require chemotherapy since melanoma has a higher rate of recurrence. When lesions are large, reach the deeper layers of skin, or have ulcerated, more extensive surgical removal and follow-up treatments are required.
Lymph Node Involvement
Any lymph node involvement means more extensive treatments to control or eliminate the cancer. There are differences in lymph node involvement that might factor into treatment. For example, if cancer cells are found in the lymph nodes closest to the primary tumor, this is better than when cancer cells are found in lymph nodes further away from the primary tumor. To determine lymph node involvement, a biopsy of the lymph node may be necessary. Generally, the lymph nodes closest to the tumor are tested first, and if cancer cells are found in these lymph nodes, then it becomes necessary to test more distant lymph nodes.
Metastasis
Metastasis occurs when cancerous masses are found in other regions of the body. Generally, doctors describe metastasis based on how far it is away from the primary tumor, such as local, regional, or distant. When distant lymph nodes are involved, this is usually a sign that cancer has spread to other areas in the body. The more distant secondary tumors are found, the more extensive treatment needs to be, and the poorer the prognosis.
Additionally, if the tumor has metastasized, it can make treatment more complex. For example, metastasis to the brain or liver is much harder to treat than metastasis to other organs. Chemotherapy is critical for shrinking or killing metastatic tumors because chemotherapeutic agents affect the entire body. Radiation therapy might be used on specific tumors, especially if they are large enough to encroach on other organs or if chemotherapy is not an option.
The features of a melanoma tumor and where additional cancer cells or tumors are found directly relates to how the cancer is treated. In general, the earlier skin cancer is diagnosed, the less invasive the treatment and the better odds of complete remission.