I believe everyone has moles in different parts of their body, will these moles become malignant and should they be removed now? Many people have one kind of question or another, especially after hearing the saying “moles can become malignant”, they are worried that bad luck will come to their head. What will be the change of malignancy?
Mole is a benign tumor, but it is easy to become cancerous if not removed properly
Everyone loves beauty, especially women, so when a mole may grow out of place and affect the beauty, people will try their best to remove it. However, in fact, if moles on the body are not handled properly, they can be a deadly disaster. As a kind of melanoma, moles can easily become cancerous if not removed cleanly.
Mole itself is a kind of benign melanoma, but most of the patients who visit them are provoked to become cancerous because of the improper treatment of moles. Some cosmetic or medical institutions carry out some mole removal programs by doing surgery or other methods, and if the removal is not clean, or if some native methods are used to attempt to burn the mole, the risk of contributing to its cancer is quite high.
Once a mole becomes cancerous, it develops quite fast and can metastasize at an early stage. One of its metastatic pathways is through the bloodstream, to the lungs, liver, bones, and even the brain; another pathway is through the lymphatic vessels. This type of malignant melanoma is usually more malignant and difficult to treat, and there is no particularly effective treatment available.
What is a nevus?
A nevus, medically known as a nevus cell or melanocytic nevus, is a skin manifestation caused by an increase in melanocytes in the epidermis and dermis. If a nevus is above the skin surface, has a domed or papillary appearance or has a tip, it is clinically called an intradermal nevus; if it is slightly above the skin surface, it is mostly a mixed nevus; if it is not above the skin surface, it is a junctional nevus.
Moles are composed of pigment-producing melanocytes, so many moles appear brown in different shapes, and some are even skin-colored. Many moles start out flat and then gradually bulge. They grow over the first 20 years, mostly slowly, some growing to about 1 cm or larger; some also grow very large and hairy. Some children are born with very large moles, and some have more moles than the average person. Moles are more commonly seen in people with fair skin.
What is a melanoma?
Melanoma is a malignant tumor of melanocytes originating from pigmented areas of the skin, mucous membranes, eyes and central nervous system. Not all moles are malignant. Most malignant melanomas originate from melanocytes in normal skin, and some originate from pigmented nevi. Melanoma occurs more often in middle-aged and elderly people, and is more frequent in men than in women. They are more common in men than in women. They are more common in the feet of the lower extremities, followed by the trunk, head and neck, and upper extremities.
The symptoms are mainly rapidly growing melanotic nodules. Initially, melanosis may occur in normal skin or pigmented nevi with increased pigmentation and deepening of black color, followed by enlargement of the lesion and increased hardness with itching and pain. Melanoma lesions may be raised, patchy, nodular, or myxoid or cauliflower-shaped. They may appear as subcutaneous nodules or masses when they grow into the subcutaneous tissue, or as stellate dark spots or small nodules when they spread in the periphery. The common presentation is regional lymph node metastasis of melanoma, or even regional lymph node enlargement. In advanced stage, the metastasis is from blood stream to lung, liver, bone and brain organs.
The most susceptible to malignant transformation are moles that are often rubbed
For Chinese people, moles on parts of the body that are often rubbed are most likely to develop malignant changes, such as the neck, because the collar is often rubbed; the waist, where the belt is often strangled; and the palms of the hands and soles of the feet, which are usually rubbed more often and with greater force. In addition, moles growing under fingernails or toenails are also more dangerous because the nail growth will also form extrusion and friction.
In fact, moles grow not only on the epidermis of human body, but also inside the body, wherever there is blood supply. Normally they are not much threat to people as a benign melanoma, but after growing on the gums and the retina of the eyes, they may become malignant due to the abrasion of chewing and eye movement, which stimulates it. However, this is a rare case.
There will be signs of malignant change in ordinary moles
When a mole becomes malignant, there are often some symptoms, for example, in terms of color, the original black mole suddenly becomes blue and bright, or becomes brown; in terms of form, the edge of a normal mole is usually oval, but suddenly becomes dramatically tooth-shaped and untidy; in terms of human sensation, the mole suddenly becomes painful and itchy, or it breaks, oozes some liquid, bleeds and crusts. All of these manifestations may be the prelude to the appearance of cancer in moles.
Small and large moles should be distinguished from cancer
Everyone has moles of different sizes, and some of them may be linked to cancer and turn into highly malignant melanoma. Because the two are not easily distinguished, even doctors are prone to misdiagnosis and mistreatment. For this reason, the National Cancer Institute has proposed the “ABCD” method for early diagnosis of malignant melanoma, and it is not difficult to distinguish ordinary moles from malignant melanoma as long as the following four points are mastered.
The so-called “ABCD” represents 4 symbols, namely asymmetry, edge, color, and the first letter of the English word for diameter.
1. Asymmetry: The two halves of an ordinary mole are symmetrical, while the two halves of a malignant melanoma are asymmetrical.
2.Border: The edge of ordinary moles is smooth and clearly demarcated from the surrounding skin, while the edge of malignant melanoma is uneven and jagged. In addition, the surface is rough with scaly or flaky desquamation, sometimes there is oozing or blood oozing, and the lesion is higher than the skin.
3.Color: Common moles are usually tan, brown or black, while malignant melanoma will be mixed with pink, white and blue-black on the basis of tan or brown. Among them, blue is the most ominous, and white suggests that the tumor has degenerated on its own. Nodular malignant melanoma is always blue-black or gray.
4. Diameter (diameter): The diameter of common mole is usually less than 5 mm, while the diameter of malignant melanoma is greater than 5 mm.
In addition, moles that itch and are painful to press should also be paid special attention. If these moles continue to develop, ulcerative lesions are likely to appear, and the stinging or burning pain will be more obvious, and satellite nodules will also appear around them or accompanied by enlarged regional lymph nodes, which means that the disease has progressed to an advanced stage. It is important to emphasize that the distinction between poorly structured nevi and early malignant melanoma is difficult to make by visual observation alone, and biopsies should be performed promptly to obtain pathological confirmation of the suspected lesions.
Special attention should be paid to these conditions.
1. Removal of hair from moles
Some larger moles have hairs growing on them. The chance of skin cancer in moles with long hairs is not very high, and there is no danger of removing the hairs from the moles, you can safely peel and pluck them. It is important to be careful because these practices can irritate the hair follicles, causing infection, pain and swelling. If you have these conditions, you should see a doctor.
2. Mole changes
If you have a large number of moles, you must pay more attention and ask your family or doctor to check the moles regularly for changes. It is important to keep in mind their size and location. Although not all changes are bad, they are still worthy of concern. While roughly half of all skin cancers develop from moles that have been present for a long time or were previously present, the other 50 percent occur in normal skin.
In most cases, these changes are inconsequential, but to be on the safe side, it is important to let your doctor know of any changes to a mole.
1. It will bulge or fade after a period of time.
2. The periphery of the mole will fade.
3.The size and color of the mole will change during pregnancy. After giving birth, the color of the mole will recover, but it may take some time. However, skin cancer may also appear during pregnancy, so it is better to see a doctor for safety.
4.New moles, especially those that appear after the age of 40.
5.Moles that become bigger and bigger or appear itchy
6.A change in color, such as a mole that becomes darker, blacker, or between brown and pink.
7. The mole becomes uneven, blurred, or irregular in appearance.
8. Bleeding or oozing of fluid from the mole.