Skin melanoma: life expectancy after surgery
Melanoma is a malignant formation on the skin. It is formed by pigment cells, which are called melanocytes. These cells are responsible for the production of melanin. As already mentioned, the site of tumor localization is the skin. In some cases, the mucous membrane( vagina, oral mucosa, anus), and also the retina of the eye, can suffer. We shall understand, what at the diagnosis "melanoma of a skin" forecasts of a life?
Description of the disease
This is a rather dangerous disease for a person. Melanoma often gives metastases to other organs( they are found in the brain, kidneys, liver, lung).The path is hematogenous and lymphogenic.
The tumor is able to grow rapidly, because the response from the body is partially or completely absent. This fact is a feature of such a disease as skin melanoma. Projections of life after surgery are of interest to many.
Types of melanoma
There are three types of melanoma:
- A superficial type of disease is one in which a pigmented spot of a rather small size is formed on the skin, only about 5 mm. Its color is dark brown or black. This spot can not be noticed to the touch, because there is no elevation above the skin.
- Knotty type can be attributed to the disease, when the formation of the form resembles a knot, polyp or fungus. He has a blue-red, sometimes black, color.
- Malignant lentigo is considered when the disease has a long period of development. There is a transformation, while a pigment is formed, in which the irregular shape has a scalloped outline.
So, if a person has a birthmark, an outgrowth or a simple birthmark, the outline, the color of which began to change, you should immediately consult a doctor. It is important to understand that the faster the disease is detected, the earlier it will be, the better will be the predictions of life for a diagnosis of "skin melanoma" and easier treatment.
Consider each stage of the disease separately.
The first stage of
Melanoma in the first stage is a developing tumor with a thickness of about 1 mm, with the skin often forming ulcers. Most often, in addition to these symptoms, the patient can not detect anything. The appearance of these microscopic ulcers suggests that the disease is aggravated and goes to a different, more difficult stage.
Treat melanoma with various gels, ointments, creams should not be. Often, if it gives a result, then for a short while, after which the disease recurs with renewed vigor.
This type of tumor is best treated at an early stage, but the methods of therapy are selected individually. This will completely depend on how the disease progresses.
Basically, the tumor is surgically excised, healthy skin is caught, approximately 1-2 cm. It is not necessary to go to the hospital for this procedure. With existing contraindications to surgical intervention, a specialist prescribes laser removal of melanoma.
But the disease can recur both during surgery and when removing the tumor with a laser.
If there are no complications and the disease does not progress, medications can be prescribed. Therapy is carried out by "Interferon".So it is treated in the first stage of skin melanoma. Forecasts of life are presented below.
Forecasts
The forecast is mostly positive.95% live 5 years of life after surgery, 89% - 10 years after surgery. If you ignore the disease and do not treat it in any way, the tumor will progress, which will lead to a fatal outcome.
Second stage
Melanoma in the second stage is a tumor on the skin, which is markedly enlarged in size. Its thickness is about 2 mm. Ulcers on the skin are also quite common, but they may not be at all. Disease in the second stage is also very difficult to detect, because there are no symptoms of others. On the condition of the lymph nodes the second stage is not reflected. They are not enlarged and not painful.
How does the treatment work?
Exactly the same as in the first stage, perform excision of the skin, but the capture of a healthy area is greater. A biopsy is performed. In addition, drug therapy "Interferon" is shown.
In some cases, melanoma in the second stage is removed by radio waves. This allows you to avoid complications after surgery. The tissue in this case is cut by a non-contact high-frequency wave, this provokes the evaporation of the desired area of the skin.
Cells that have evaporated in this way form pairs with very low temperatures, which allows coagulation of a number of located vessels. This method is used both in the third and fourth stages. So it is treated in the second stage of skin melanoma.
Life projections of
Consider the prognosis of the life of melanoma of the second stage. This is 80% - 5 years of life, 70% - 10 years of life. But this is done in the case that the treatment was timely.
The third stage of
The boundaries of melanoma in the third stage are violated, it seizes nearby tissues. Lymph nodes that are near the tumor, suffer. This can be detected with a biopsy.
Very dangerous skin melanoma. Forecasts of life( stage 4, photos see below) will be considered later.
What are the symptoms of immediate contact with the clinic:
- bleeding from a mole or a site with pigmentation;
- the mole begins to grow asymmetrically;
- the skin becomes dark without sunburn;
- the diameter of the birthmark or birthmark increased to 6 mm;
- the birthmark has uneven edges.
Treatment in the case of the third stage will be surgical removal of the tumor from the surface of the skin, and it will also have to remove the lymph nodes that are located next to the neoplasm.
In this case, medicamental treatment with the use of "Interferon", "Altevira", "Ipilimab".
When the operation has been performed, the treatment does not stop. The doctor should keep the patient under supervision for a while. In this case, the patient takes the necessary tests. This is the difference between the third stage therapy for the diagnosis of skin melanoma. Forecasts of life( the photo is presented below) are not as optimistic as the two others.50% of all live 5 years after surgery, 18% - 10 years.
The fourth stage of
This is the most dangerous stage of the disease. There is a rapid spread of cancer cells to neighboring parts of the body. Metastases are found in internal organs.
Symptoms may differ because they are in direct proportion to what organ is damaged:
- the occurrence of a persistent cough;
- seals are felt under the skin;
- the head with a different intensity hurts;
- a person is losing weight;
- the onset of seizures.
How can I treat melanoma in stage four? Unfortunately, the prognosis of life is unfavorable. The ability to recover depends on the process of metastasis. The disease of this stage is treated surgically, by immune therapy, by radiation therapy and by chemotherapy.
Viritherapy is a new way to cure melanoma. This drug Rigvir, which consists of a large number of oncolic and oncotropic viruses.
When ingested, they begin to fight malignant tumor cells. In addition, the immune system is stimulated, the body is thus protected from destruction with a disease such as skin melanoma.
Life Expectancy - Stage 4
The life expectancy and treatment effectiveness for melanoma at the fourth stage is only 10%.
But the most dangerous melanoma is a retinal tumor. The eyeball is destroyed, but also the body as a whole.
Development of complications after melanoma
The specialist should explain how to carry out rehabilitation after surgical removal of the tumor. It is necessary to take care of the wound surface carefully.
If the patient has noticed the following symptoms, then it is necessary to immediately see the attending physician and undergo anew examination:
- is shivering and feverish;
- puffiness appeared near the incision, blood and other sorts of secretions appear from it, there is redness;
is the site of tumor removal that hurts so that the medications do not help with pain;
- there was a new education in the old place.
Probably, the recurrence of the disease will be revealed.
Reviews
With the disease of skin melanoma, life forecasts( reviews confirm this) are completely dependent on the degree of its development and timeliness of treatment.
Patients say that it will not be possible to cure melanoma folk methods. This only helps to remove the symptoms, but does not get rid of the tumor. The disease will progress, go to the most severe late stages. Do not waste precious time and risk your own life.
We examined melanoma of the skin, life forecasts in Russia are also described.