Lentigo melanoma is considered a rare, but very aggressive variant of dermatological pathology. Only 5-10% of all skin diseases of oncological origin occur in this form
In most cases, lentigo melanoma does not occur spontaneously. Pathology transforms from Dubreuil's melanoma.
Development of pathology
At the initial stage, lentigo melanoma looks harmless. It does not cause any inconvenience to the patient.
Melanoma is a small spot that can be yellow, brown or brown. Its size does not reach more than 2.5 cm in diameter. In some cases, the neoplasm looks like a black ball located in the center of a brown spot. The boundaries of the tumor are clear, the spot itself is irregular in shape, but without seals and nodes. Their appearance will mark the later stages of the pathological process.
Initiallylentigo melanoma grows in a horizontal direction. In the future, the spot shows growth in vertical projection. In most cases, melanoma appears on exposed areas of the skin, including the face, arms, neck, and chest around the décolleté. Much less often it is found on the shins, heels or hands.
Reasons
According to statistics, women are twice as likely to develop malignant lentigo melanoma than men. However, in males, the disease progresses in a more aggressive form. The age of patients who have undergone the appearance of lentigo is in the range of 50-60 years. A tumor of this type can occur in anyone, but people with fair skin who sunbathe with burns and who have a lot of age spots on their bodies are most susceptible to this pathology.
Fundamental to saving a patient's life is the fact that a malignant tumor grows slowly. The progression of pathology can occur over many years and even decades. According to oncologists, the pathological process can last from 21 months to 30 years. Experts believe that the main reason for the development of this type of melanoma is injury to benign neoplasms. In addition, the following factors also stand out:
- Receiving a significant amount of exposure to ultraviolet rays. And we are talking about both regular trips to the solarium, and a long stay in the sun.
- Excessivedryness of the skin and its prolonged stay in a dehydrated state.
Symptoms
The main sign of incipient melanoma is the appearance of a neoplasm in the form of a spot. In addition, it can cause scarring. Look out for the following symptoms:
- Asymmetry.
- Roughness of the formation surface.
- Itching.
- Swelling.
In the early stages of the development of the disease, as a rule, there is no pain syndrome. At later stages, lentigo melanoma is characterized by the appearance of metastases that affect the lymph node system. At this stage, additional symptoms are added, namely:
- Dizziness.
- Weakness.
- Temperature increase (slight).
- Swelling of the lymph nodes. The axillary nodes are most commonly affected.
The sooner a person detects signs of melanoma, the higher the chance of recovery, so it is not recommended to delay going to the doctor.
Diagnosis
Modern medicine makes it possible to diagnose malignant lentigo melanoma even at the earliest stages of its development. Pathological changes can be detected through several diagnostic procedures:
- Inspection. Must be carried out by a specialist in dermatology and oncology. In the process of visual inspection, a specialist can use various devices and tools to increaseimage. A preliminary diagnosis can be made based on the size and appearance of the mass. A similar examination method is also called dermatoscopy.
- Blood test. Allows you to determine the presence of enzymes that are characteristic of the appearance of melanoma.
- Morphological study. It is carried out by taking part of the affected tissue or even the entire neoplasm. Accumulations of melanocytes, inflammatory processes in the dermis, and skin dystrophy are considered indicators of melanoma.
- Multiple type biopsy. The sampling of material for research comes from various sites of the neoplasm. An incisional biopsy is performed in cases where the melanoma has actively grown and reached a large size.
Also performed histology of lentigo melanoma.
Histological examination reveals reactive growths of the epidermis in the form of pronounced acanthosis and thickening of the epidermis, which occur in response to the intraepidermal nature of tumor growth.
Differential Diagnosis
Differential diagnosis helps not to confuse pathology with actinic lentigo or hyperkeratosis. The latter is similar to melanoma, but is benign. Tengent biopsy is performed as a diagnostic method. As for actinic lentigo, it is also benign, but has the form of plaques and occurs in the same areas of the skin as melanoma. In this case, differential diagnosis is carried out by examining tumor markers.
Treatment
The effectiveness of the therapy depends largely on the stage of pathology, the extent of skin lesions and the presence or absence of metastases. The most commonly used treatment for melanoma is surgery. Unlike many other surgical procedures, melanoma does not always require general anesthesia. With a small size of the formation, the operation is performed under local anesthesia. During its course, the specialist completely removes the neoplasm along with some he althy dermis around. This is done in order to avoid a recurrence of the disease in the future.
If melanoma occurs on open areas of the skin, including on the face, some time after the operation, a cosmetic procedure is allowed to eliminate the defects that have arisen. If metastases have spread through the lymph flow, a lymphodenectomy is performed, which involves the elimination of the affected lymph nodes.
Another way to treat lentigo melanoma is close-focus X-ray therapy. The procedure involves sending X-rays to the affected area of the skin. The treatment method is highly accurate. Another advantage of the procedure is the absence of damage to he althy areas of the skin. With the help of X-rays, it is possible to suspend the activity of the development of the pathology, but not to cure it completely.
Treatment of any cancer involves the use of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. plays an important role in the treatment of melanomavitamin therapy and immunostimulation.
Lentigo melanoma prognosis
The prognosis of this disease is unfavorable. The lethal outcome, as a result of active metastasis of this type of melanoma, is more than 75%. Approximately 92,000 cases of this disease are registered every year in the world.
Prevention
It is impossible to completely prevent the appearance of melanoma, but there is a way to reduce the likelihood of its development by several times. To begin with, it should be remembered that the appearance of any neoplasm on the skin is a reason to consult a doctor. If there is a genetic predisposition to cancer or the formation shows a tendency to rebirth, it is removed at the stage of a benign tumor.
People with fair skin should avoid sun exposure without sunscreen. Solarium trips are also better to limit or abandon them altogether.
Lentigo melanoma is a serious disease. Do not delay or delay treatment. Its regression is a rather rare phenomenon, but death due to lentigo is common.
