What is melanoma?

Today I'm going to go a little bit more in depth on what melanoma is. The skin cancer foundation states that melanoma is "The most dangerous form of skin cancer, these cancerous growths develop when unrepaired DNA damage to skin cells (most often caused by ultraviolet radiation from sunshine or tanning beds) triggers mutations (genetic defects) that lead the skin cells to multiply rapidly and form malignant tumors." Melanoma spots most often resemble moles or they develop from moles. They spots are usually brown or black, but they can also be skin colored. Here is a picture of my moms melanoma spot. Melanoma is mainly caused by intense UV exposure, often leading to sunburns.

An article posted by the Mayo Clinic gives a list of risk factors that play a part in someones chance of getting the disease.

• Fair skin. Having less pigment (melanin) in your skin means you have less protection from damaging UV radiation. If you have blond or red hair, light-colored eyes, and freckle or sunburn easily, you're more likely to develop melanoma than is someone with a darker complexion. But melanoma can develop in people with darker complexions, including Hispanics and blacks.
• A history of sunburn. One or more severe, blistering sunburns can increase your risk of melanoma.
• Excessive ultraviolet (UV) light exposure. Exposure to UV radiation, which comes from the sun and from tanning lights and beds, can increase the risk of skin cancer, including melanoma.
• Living closer to the equator or at a higher elevation. People living closer to the earth's equator, where the sun's rays are more direct, experience higher amounts of UV radiation than do those living in higher latitudes. In addition, if you live at a high elevation, you're exposed to more UV radiation.
• Having many moles or unusual moles. Having more than 50 ordinary moles on your body indicates an increased risk of melanoma. Also, having an unusual type of mole increases the risk of melanoma. Known medically as dysplastic nevi, these tend to be larger than normal moles and have irregular borders and a mixture of colors.
• A family history of melanoma. If a close relative — such as a parent, child or sibling — has had melanoma, you have a greater chance of developing a melanoma, too.

• Weakened immune system. People with weakened immune systems, such as those who've undergone organ transplants, have an increased risk of skin cancer. 

I don't know about you, but after reading some of these risk factors it kind of gives me the chills.

My mom has gone through surgery to have the entire area where the melanoma was located removed, as well as having some lymph nodes removed, and also a skin graft.

 Here is a picture of where the lymph nodes were taken, and also where the skin for the graft was taken. She had to have stitches and also a drain put in.

This picture shoes where the melanoma site was located and where the skin graft was placed. Looks like something out of a horror movie if you ask me.

The intensity and nervousness of the diagnosis news has sort of died down. Now we wait to see if the cancer has spread to her lymph nodes and from there we worry about treatments.