For the treatment of Melanoma, it is important to diagnose it, different tests and trials are involved in the diagnosis process of melanoma. These are, as follow-
- Physical test
In the physical test, your doctor questions about your health history related to skin. He may also look for the signs and symptoms of melanoma. This will benefit the doctor in the treatment of melanoma.
- Biopsy
To find out that the suspected skin is caught by melanoma or not, your doctor may take its sample and send it to a laboratory for examination, for effective treatment of melanoma.
The type of biopsy to be used depends on the situation. On ordinary treatment, a punch biopsy is performed. Under punch biopsy, a circular blade is pushed into the skin around the doubtful area.
Excisional biopsy is another type, which is commonly performed. Under this, a scalpel is used to slash away the intact mole and a tiny edge of healthy tissue near it.
- Finding out the stage of melanoma
In the way of treatment of melanoma, the stage identification of melanoma cancer is necessary to know. Your doctor may do it through-
- Determining the thickness
The thickness of the melanoma is determined by testing and examining the melanoma under a microscope. In common, more thickness of melanoma indicates more serious illness.
- Look if cancer has reached the lymph nodes
If your doctor suspects that your cancer has reached the lymph nodes, he may recommend sentinel node biopsy. It is important to know everything about cancer for the treatment of melanoma.
In a sentinel node biopsy, a dye is put into the area where the melanoma was detached. The dye surges to the near lymph nodes. The lymph nodes, which catch up the dye for the first, are detached and tested for cancer cells. If the lymph nodes are discovered cancer-free, it will be good to hear that cancer had not have extended further than the lymph nodes, which caught the dye first.
- Look for symptoms of cancer ahead of the skin
Doctors recommend imaging tests for people with advanced or mature melanomas. X-rays, PET, and CT scans are used for the same concern.
Once the overall diagnosis is done, your doctor may start the treatment of melanoma in the best possible manner he can.
Treatment of Melanoma
The treatment of melanoma depends on the size and stage of melanoma cancer. Besides, patients’ health and other preferences are also considered.
- Treatment for minute melanomas
The early treatment of melanomas can be successfully done by performing a biopsy. During a biopsy, the melanoma can be removed along with the border of the skin it touches. This will ensure the rooting out of melanoma.
- Treatment of melanomas that have reached ahead of the skin
Following treatments can be helpful in the treatment of melanomas that have reached ahead of the skin-
- Surgery to detach affected lymph nodes
If the melanoma has spread to the lymph nodes, your doctor will take out the affected part. Other treatments before and after the surgery may also be suggested.
- Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy is a drug therapy that accelerates the function of the immune system to fight against cancer. The immune system may not struggle in opposition to the melanoma’s spread to the lymph nodes because cancer cells generate protein, which helps them to hide when the immune system attacks.
Immunotherapy is a part of the treatment of melanoma, which is generally used when the lymph nodes’ melanomas cannot be completely detached by surgery. Immunotherapy treatments are injected directly into the lymph nodes to kill cancer completely.
- Targeted therapy
Targeted therapy is a drug therapy that is used to target the weaknesses of the cancer cells. This is further used to kill the cancer cells attacking the weaknesses.
- Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy uses a beam of high power radiations like protons and X-rays to kill the cancer cells. It is an effective treatment of melanomas, in the cases when the surgery couldn’t remove the entire melanomas from the lymph nodes.
Radiation therapy can also kill the cancer cells of other parts of the body.
- Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is an element of the treatment of melanomas, which uses drugs to eliminate melanomas. It is given intravenously, or in pill form, so that it travels all through the body.
Chemotherapy is sometimes given into the veins of your arms, or legs. This is known as ‘Isolated limb perfusion.’ It makes the blood of the arms and legs stay at its place so that the chemotherapy drugs travel all through the body and kill the melanomas.
For online doctor consultation for Melanomas, visit Daily Chemist web page and get medical guidance from experts.
