Thursday, March 29, 2012

Melanoma, Melanoma Skin Cancer, Skin Cancer Melanoma

By Joseph Bologna


There are numerous types of cancers. One with the most common kind of cancer is referred to as Melanoma. Melanoma is really a kind of skin cancer. It begins in cells with the skin called melanocytes. To understand melanoma, it's useful to know concerning the skin and about melanocytes: specifically what they do, how they grow, and what occurs once they become cancerous.The skin is the body's largest organ.

It protects against heat, sunlight, injury, and infection. It helps regulate body temperature, stores water and fat, and produces vitamin D.The skin itself has two main layers: the outer epidermis and the inner dermis.

The epidermis is mostly produced up of flat, scale like cells called squamous cells. Round cells known as basal cells lie under the squamous cells within the epidermis. The lower component with the epidermis also contains melanocytes.

The dermis consists of blood vessels, lymph vessels, hair follicles, and glands. Some of these glands create sweat, which assist regulate body temperature. Other glands produce sebum, that is an oily substance that helps maintain the skin from drying out. Sweat and sebum reach the skin's surface via tiny openings known as pores.

Melanocytes produce melanin, that is the pigment that provides skin its natural color. When skin is exposed to the sun, melanocytes produce more pigment, causing the skin to tan, or darken. Occasionally, clusters of melanocytes and surrounding tissue form noncancerous growths called moles. (Doctors also call a mole a nevus; the plural is nevi.) Moles are very typical. Many people have between 10 and 40 moles.

Moles may be pink, tan, brown, or perhaps a color that is extremely close to the person's regular skin tone. Individuals who have dark skin tend to have dark moles. Moles may be flat or raised. They're usually round or oval and smaller than a pencil eraser. They might be present at birth or may seem later on -- generally prior to age 40. They have a tendency to fade away in older individuals. When moles are surgically removed, they usually don't ever return.

Learn more about what is melanoma.




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