«CAs you can see, my face is full of moles, and that’s why I control myself.” Thus begins the video with which Matteo Renzi he announced on social media to have discovered of having a melanoma. The former prime minister explained that he “removed it immediately”, reassuring that “everything it was caught in time». And therefore he is not considered at risk. But he clarifies that he wants to send a message «given the visibility I have and the experience I have had: Guys, get checked out!». Because, he underlines, “the fundamental difference when you have skin cancer is when you catch it.” And so he invites everyone to prevention. But what is melanoma, what are the symptoms, and what are the treatments? And how is prevention done? Here’s everything you need to know.
Melanoma: what it is and how widespread it is
Melanoma is a malignant skin tumor which originates from melanocytes, the cells that produce melanin. It is not the most frequent skin cancer, but it is among those with greater diffusion capacity. According to theAircwhich talks about it in a dedicated page on its site, it can develop on healthy skin or from an existing mole. His aggression it depends above all on the speed with which it manages to infiltrate the tissues and, in the most advanced cases, to metastasize.
The data helps to frame the phenomenon: in Italy In Italy it is the third most frequent cancer under the age of 50. And in our country they are registered every year around 13 thousand new caseswith an incidence is constantly growingparticularly among younger adults. THE’Higher Institute of Health points out that the increase is also linked to risky behaviours, such as excessive exposure to ultraviolet rays.
Signs not to be underestimated
Melanoma, in the initial stages, is often silent, without symptoms that can cause concern. It doesn’t hurt, it doesn’t itch, it doesn’t create obvious problems. Because of this the attention must be visual. To identify it, the “ABCDE rule” the reference remains:
- TO as asymmetry in shape
- B like irregular edges
- C as a variable color within the mole
- D as increasing size
- AND as the evolution of the mole over time, which changes appearance in a short time
According to the Italian Association for Cancer Research, in fact, any suspicious change in a mole, or the appearance of a new pigmented lesion, should be evaluated by a specialist.
The diagnosis: how melanoma is really discovered
Melanoma, as Matteo Renzi indicated in his video, is intercepted looking at the skin. The diagnosis begins with the dermatological visitoften supported by epiluminescence, which allows you to better observe the skin. When a lesion appears suspicious, we proceed with the biopsythe only test capable of confirm with certainty the nature of the tumor. Later, diagnostic tests such as chest x-rays, CT scans, PET scans and MRIs can be useful to determine if and where the disease has spread.
According to theHigher Institute of Health the prognosis is closely linked to the stage at which the melanoma is identified: when it is superficial and localised, as in the case of the former prime minister, surgical removal is often curative. It is no coincidence that the majority of cases today are diagnosed at an early stage, with very high survival rates.
Risk factors: who is most exposed
The risk of developing melanoma is not uniform. Exposure to UV raysboth natural and artificial, is the main modifiable factor. They add to this individual characteristics like light skin, the presence of numerous moles as in the case of Renzi or a familiarity for the disease. Also sunburnespecially in childhood, have a significant impact on determining risk throughout life. According to theISS the increase in cases observed in recent decades is partly attributable to lifestyles that favor unprotected exposure to the sun.
Prevention: what really works
There prevention of melanoma it is one of the most effective in oncology, but requires consistency. Protect your skin from the sunboth with clothing, hats and sunglasses, and with sun creams with high protection factor. And then, avoiding the most intense hours of exposure and minimizing the use of tanning lamps are fundamental behaviors. «Exposing yourself too much to the sun, especially at an early age», clarifies the website ofAirc«represents a danger, because it can damage the DNA of skin cells and trigger tumor transformation, which many years later can lead to the onset of melanoma».
They add to this periodic self-observation of moles and regular dermatological checks, especially for those with risk factors. According to the Airc, early diagnosis allows in the majority of cases a complete recoverymaking melanoma one of the cancers in which prevention has the most concrete impact.
Because time is decisive
When a melanoma is detected, the main treatment is surgical: The lesion is removed along with a small portion of surrounding tissue. And when melanoma is in the initial stagesthis intervention is often sufficient. However, if the diagnosis arrives in a more advanced stagesystemic therapies such as immunotherapy or targeted treatments may be necessary. In recent years the therapeutic options are improved significantlybut the factor that has the greatest impact always remains the same: how early one intervenes. Hence the importance of the message launched by Matteo Renzi on melanoma: if there is any doubt, it is always better to get checked. AND prevention remains the most effective weapon available.