A famous singer died of melanoma at the age of 37! What kind of "moles" should we be wary of?

June 14, 2023

“Melanoma” became a hot search on Weibo.

According to media reports,

Zhang Hengyuan, runner-up of the second season of The Voice of China, died of melanoma.

Only 37 years old.

In If You Are the One 2,

Li Xiangshan played by Sun Honglei,

▲Li Xiangshan played by actor Sun Honglei (Source: Screenshot from If You Are the One 2)

Because of advanced melanoma on the sole of my foot,

A special farewell party was held.

Because of this plot,

Many people are learning about this disease for the first time.

In almost everyone,

Moles of varying sizes can be found everywhere.

These moles,

Some will not change throughout the year.

But some moles can endanger people's lives.

It is the terrible malignant melanoma.

Because melanomas look very similar to common moles,

Often ignored by patients.

Only by understanding it,

Only in this way can we diagnose and act early!

Lack of public awareness of melanoma

Melanoma is known as the "king of cancers". It is a malignant tumor with high mortality, high metastasis rate and difficult treatment. There are nearly 20,000 new cases of melanoma in China every year, and the incidence rate is increasing year by year. There are as many as 3,800 deaths each year, accounting for 1/3 of all Asian patients, ranking first in Asia.

According to the White Paper on the Current Behavior of Melanoma Patients in China (hereinafter referred to as the White Paper), about one-third of those diagnosed with the disease have never heard of the disease. 17% of those diagnosed said they would consider seeing a doctor if conditions permit.

The consequence of lack of knowledge is that the initial diagnosis of melanoma in my country is generally late, with 36% of people being diagnosed at an advanced stage (stage IV), 20% at stage III, and 59% with metastasis. Only 13% of people can be diagnosed at stages I-II.

What is melanoma?

Melanoma usually refers to malignant melanoma, a highly malignant tumor derived from the malignant transformation of melanocytes. Malignant melanoma mostly occurs in the skin, but can also occur in mucosa (including visceral mucosa), uveal tract, pia mater and other parts.

▲Schematic diagram of melanoma invasion (Source: Xiamen CDC)

Is melanoma contagious? Is it curable? Will it come back?

• Melanoma is not contagious.

• Cure: Melanoma discovered in the early stages can be cured after complete surgical removal; late-stage melanoma has mostly metastasized and is basically incurable, but survival time can be prolonged through effective treatment.

• Recurrence: Early-stage melanoma generally does not recur after effective treatment; late-stage melanoma is highly malignant and prone to recurrence and metastasis, and the probability of patients surviving for 5 years is only 6%.

Which moles will become malignant?

▲Click to enlarge (picture from the Internet)

When your mole meets the "ABCDE" characteristics, you should be careful and it is recommended to seek medical treatment and treatment in time.

A (Asymmetry): refers to the symmetry of the mole. Malignant moles are generally asymmetrical in appearance and grow unevenly.

B (Border): refers to the irregular border of the mole lesion, which can appear fan-shaped, zigzag-shaped, etc.

C (Color): refers to color. Generally, melanomas come in a variety of colors, including red, blue, black, and gray. Pigment loss may also occur.

D (Diameter): refers to the diameter. If the diameter of the lesion is greater than or equal to 6 mm, you should be alert.

E (Evolution): refers to the gradual change in the size, shape or color of the original skin lesions. Compared with the past, moles that rapidly increase in size or become thicker in a short period of time, or bleeding or ulcers may also indicate cancer.

It should be noted that the prognosis of "malignant melanoma" is poor in the late stage. This is mainly because melanoma is highly malignant and easy to metastasize. Any stimulation can promote tumor spread. Lymphatic and blood metastasis may occur in the late stage, and the prognosis is mostly poor.

At the same time, the prognosis of melanoma is related to the patient's age, gender, tumor stage, whether the lesion is ulcerated, surgical method, and postoperative adjuvant therapy. The medical community has reached a consensus that melanoma should be treated with comprehensive treatment. In short, early detection, standardized surgery, and the use of comprehensive treatment methods are the key to improving prognosis.

What wrong ways of treating moles need to be avoided?

Most pigmented nevi are safe. If the diameter is less than 3mm and there is no adverse phenomenon in the dermoscopy, laser removal is feasible; however, chemical corrosion methods should be prohibited. For nevi with a diameter greater than 3mm, those without adverse signs can be dynamically observed; those with adverse signs require surgical excision and concurrent histopathological examination. If melanoma is suspected clinically, electrocoagulation, cauterization, and scraping biopsy are not recommended, because certain trauma or adverse stimulation or "mole removal" for cosmetic purposes may lead to the occurrence of melanoma. Surgical treatment is the only radical cure for melanoma so far.

Finally, I would like to remind everyone that if a mole changes color, becomes irregular in shape, or shows abnormal physical phenomena as it grows, it should be considered as melanoma and you should go to the hospital for examination in time.

Compare and see if you have any "suspicious moles"? Be sure to pay attention!

(Content reference: People's Consulting, China.com, The Paper, Xiamen CDC, etc.)