Melanoma Survival Rate

The melanoma cancer is one of the most elusive cancers that are known to man. Most of the time, people do not even notice they have this cancer. It is sometimes hard for a person to notice they have this cancer because they commonly mistake it for a mole. There are some ways that clearly distinguish a mole from melanoma. These factors are:

 

1.     Not a defined boundary
2.     Larger than a normal size mole.
3.     Flat
4.     Change shape and color
5.     Sometimes scaly and rough.

 

A normal mole does not change shape nor have different colors. A melanoma mole will often time be black, dark brown or pink. They will sometimes have puss or liquids like blood coming out of them.

 

The melanoma survival rate depends on what stage the melanoma patient is in. The stages range from stage 0 to stage IV and have very distinct differences. The stages are as follows:

 

1. Stage 0: Melanoma is on top of the epidermis and has not penetrated the dermis.
2. Stage I: The melanoma has penetrated the Dermis
3. Stage II: The melanoma has penetrated the fat layer.
4. Stage III: This is when the melanoma has entered into the lymph nodes
5. Stage IV: This is the final stage where the internal organs as well as lymph nodes have been affected.

The melanoma survival rate decreases as the stages of melanoma increase. The melanoma survival rate is outlined below.

 

Stage 0:     100%
Stage I:      89-95%
Stage II:     50-80%
Stage III:    30-70%
Stage IV:    7-10%

 

The melanoma survival rate, or a five year survival rate, is how the doctors rate melanoma cancer. The five year survival rate does not mean that someone has five years to live. The best way to describe it is to take one hundred people. If someone is in stage II that means that 50-80 people will never make it to stage IV. The melanoma survival rate is simply showing the rate at which people make it to stage IV which is virtually incurable. Stage IV is a stage where doctors do not prolong a life, the just make it more easily managed.

As you can see in the melanoma survival rate, it is best to diagnose melanoma at its early stages. If the melanoma is caught and treated effectively, the only way it becomes part of your life is through bi-yearly visits to the doctor.

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- Recommended Resource -

 

Melanoma Skin Cancer Advice: "How I survived melanoma skin cancer and how YOU can too!"

 

7 survivors of Melanoma tell their inspiring tales of how they beat Melanoma even at Stage 4....and how you can too...

 

 

 

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