Melanoma is a type of skin cancer, the most serious of its kind and involves the uncontrollable growth of abnormal cells in the melanocytes. Melanocytes are the cells that produce melanin, the color-giving pigment. It can also occur in the eyes, throat, and inside the nose. Melanoma can be detected early if one looks out for symptoms such as an unusual growth on their skin, change in color, size or shape of an existing mole, etc. These symptoms can show up anywhere on the body as it is a form of skin cancer. Melanoma is a common type of cancer and affects more than 1 million people in the country.

The early warning signs and symptoms of melanoma

Abnormality in a mole

• A normal mole is a brown, tan, or black, evenly colored spot that may or may not be flat on the skin. They can be of various sizes but are commonly less than 6 millimeters in diameter.
• Moles can be present from birth but they can also develop during a person’s childhood or young adulthood.
• Some moles may fade away after a few years and others usually remain the same in shape, size, and color.
• Most moles are harmless but it can also pose to be a sign of melanoma.
• If a new mole occurs during adulthood or after, it is important to make sure to get it checked by a doctor.
• If an existing mole suddenly changes in size, texture, shape, or color, get it checked by a doctor immediately.

The ABCDE rule
The ABCDE rule is a very useful guide to suspect melanoma in a person. Look out for the following signs and get it checked if it matches.

• A is asymmetry
  A birthmark, spot, mole, or mark whose one half doesn’t match the other in shape, color, texture, or size can point toward this condition.
• B is border
  Look out for the circumference of the mark. A mark where the edge is irregular, notched, blurred, or ragged is a sign of melanoma.
• C is color
  The color of the mark is different in one part of the mark from the other. The different colors that may appear are brown or black with patches of pink, white, blue or red.
• D is diameter
  The spots on the body should generally have a diameter of less than 6 millimeters. If the size of this mark exceeds that, one has a reason to believe that they have melanoma. However, as melanoma spots can be small in size too, it is important to always look out for other symptoms.
• E is evolving
  A spot or mark on the body generally stays the same after making an appearance. If it suddenly started changing in size, shape, color, or texture, get it checked immediately.

Other Symptoms
Apart from the signs given above, there may be other warning signs or symptoms of melanoma. Such symptoms are listed below:

• A sore that doesn’t heal for a long time, even after treatment or medication
• The spread of pigment into the surrounding skin from the border of a spot.
• Redness beyond the border of a mole
• Inflammation outside the border of a mark
• Tenderness, pain, itchiness, irritation, and other changes in the sensation of a mark on the skin
• Scaliness, bleeding, oozing, the appearance of a lump or bump, or any other changes in the surface of a mole or spot