Melanoma is an aggressive skin tumor originating in melanocytes. In India, 70-80% of cases are Acral Lentiginous Melanoma (soles, palms, nails) and Mucosal Melanoma.
Types of Melanoma
• Acral Lentiginous Melanoma: Soles of feet, palms, under nails.
• Superficial Spreading Melanoma: Sun-exposed skin.
• Nodular Melanoma: Aggressive nodule anywhere on body.
• Lentigo Maligna Melanoma: Sun-damaged face/scalp in elderly.
• Mucosal Melanoma: Oral cavity & genital tract.
Symptoms & ABCDE Rule
Dark irregular lesion changing in size/color/shape, bleeding/itching, sole/palm lesions, lymph node swelling.
ABCDE Rule: Asymmetry, Border, Color, Diameter >6mm, Evolving.
Diagnostics: Excisional Biopsy (Breslow depth), Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy (SLNB), CT/MRI/PET-CT.
Treatment: Surgical excision, Lymph node dissection, Immunotherapy (pembrolizumab, nivolumab), Targeted BRAF/NRAS, Radiotherapy, Chemotherapy.