Types of Skin Cancer: Melanoma in Short Hills, NJ
Melanoma is regarded as the most severe and prevalent type of skin cancer in the United States, with over 76,000 new cases reported in 2016 alone, resulting in over 10,000 fatalities. We highly recommend annual skin cancer checkups to catch skin cancer signs early and to consult us in our Short Hills, New Jersey office. Before a patient undergoes treatment, a doctor must evaluate each case by assessing the severity of Melanoma, known as the “stage”. There are four classification stages of Melanoma that determine the severity and treatment options for this disease. These stages are measured by thickness, penetration and effected areas in the body. There are also subdivisions within each stage.
- Stages 0-1 is considered localized; Stage 0 is non-invasive as cancer has not penetrated the surface of the skin; in Stage 1 cancer has invaded the skin but is slow growing and treatable.
- Stage II is intermediate, still localized but larger in size typically over 1mm thick and can be ulcerated.
- Stage III and IV, cancer has metastasized to other parts of the body and require more advanced treatment plans. Melanoma in this stage is categorized with subdivisions.
Short Hills Dermatology Treatments for Skin Cancer
Melanoma is diagnosed by a skin or tissue biopsy, in which a piece of the suspicious skin is removed and examined under a microscope. A second technique is performing a sentinel node biopsy to check if the melanoma has spread to the lymph nodes. Skin cancers like Melanoma can resurface in different places such as near the original tumor site or scar tissue. For treatment of local melanoma, doctors will take a sentinel lymph node biopsy. More invasive Melanoma skin cancer treatments include isolated limb profusion chemotherapy or radiation therapy and local immunotherapy treatments with different vaccines such as interferon, interleukin, T-VEC, BCG or Systemic treatments such as target therapy and chemotherapy.
Take precaution and book an annual skin cancer screening at Short Hills Dermatology today by calling (973) 232-6245 or fill out our contact form!
Schedule Your Skin Cancer Screening Today!