MELANOMA - screening is the best prevention

The incidence of melanoma increases during the last decade. This is the reason why I am discussing the ABCDE rules of a melanoma.

Melanoma is a kind of skin cancer so common and obvious at the same time that doctors encourage self-detection. The detection is based on the mnemonic ABCDE:

• Asymmetry of the spot.
• Border: irregular.
• Color: varies.
• Diameter: large.
• Evolution of the spot.

The tests is simple, it’s tempting to try to design the overall aspect of the lesion :

Asymmetry: one half unlike the other half.

Border: Irregular, scalloped or poorly defined border.

Color:  Most normal moles are uniform in color. But varied shades of brown, tan, or black may be a sign of melanoma.

Diameter: a mole smaller than a pencil eraser is probably not cancerous.

Finally, the evolution of the spot: “the change of a spot may indicate that the lesion is becoming malignant”.

Do this test on regular basis,  and if you have any questions ask your skin specialist. This can be a live saver ...

General information on melanoma you will find here.

In our lab we developed the SERUM HYDROCAPTEUR of Longiderm where the NDGA plays a major role in the prevention of skin cancer.