Nodular melanoma is one of the most aggressive forms of this skin cancer. Melanoma is already the deadliest form of the three basic types of skin cancer, so having a nodular melanoma makes early discovery and treatment critical for survival. About 75% of the skin cancer deaths that happen every year are because of some form of melanoma. In the US, one person dies every 1 hour on average because of melanoma.
Facts About Nodular Melanoma
1. 15% of all melanoma cases in the United States are of the nodular melanoma subtype.
2. Amelanotic nodules, or nodules that are of the same tone and color of the surrounding skin, occur in about 5% of nodular melanoma cases.
3. The most common growth sites for nodular melanoma are the neck, head, and the trunk of the body.
4. It may take just 3 months for nodular melanoma to begin spreading throughout the body, making it jump quickly to advanced stages.
5. 91%. That’s the 5 year survival rate of melanoma if it is found, diagnosed, and treated before it begins to spread.
6. The number of people who die every year because of melanoma: 8,000.
7. Melanoma is responsible for 1% to 2% of all cancer deaths around the world.
8. The mortality and morbidity rate from melanoma has risen about 2% annually since 1960.
9. The lifetime risk of melanoma is 1:50 for the general American public.
10. The average age of nodular melanoma onset is 49.
11. The duration of lesions before diagnosis of nodular melanoma is relatively short, ranging from a few months to 2 years.
12. Nodular melanoma is more common in men than women.
13. The 5-year survival rate is around 97% and the 10-year survival is around 95% when the cancer is staged at 1A. Stage 3A melanomas actually have a higher 5 year and 10 year survival rate than Stage 2A melanomas.
14. For Stage 4 melanomas, the 5-year survival rate is about 15-20%.
15. Melanoma is uncommon among African Americans, but when it does occur, survival times tend to be shorter than when it occurs in whites.
16. Some studies have noted that nodule melanomas that form on the palm of the hand or the sole of the foot tend to be more aggressive in nature.
17. 97% of the nodular melanomas that form are new growths.
18. Those with nodular melanoma that is more than 1 mm thick may be advised to have lymph node biopsy.
19. 40% of the tumors with a thickness exceeding 2 mm were determined to be nodular melanomas in a recent study.
20. Upon an initial examination, about 7 out of every 11 cases of nodular melanoma is correctly diagnosed.
Nodular melanoma is the second most common type of melanoma that is diagnosed today. It forms in the skin cells that create melanin for the skin – the cells that give skin its color. That is why the nodule of skin cancer tends to be a different color than the rest of the skin. The nodules grow very quickly, so checking for the elevation and evolution of growths on the skin is an important part of early detection. New moles or freckles stop growing in a few weeks. The nodules that keep growing after a couple weeks could be this cancer.
Advanced stages of nodular melanoma are very difficult to treat. That’s why knowing the facts and statistics of this disease is extremely important.
Is My Mole Really a Nodular Melanoma?
If you have a mole or growth that concerns you, then press down on it with your finger. If it is limp, soft, or squishy, then what you have will typically be benign. Nodular melanomas are not soft. They are extremely firm to the touch and will not move or give when pressed down upon. If you feel a hard knot or pressure on the spot causes it to bleed, then set up an immediate appointment with your doctor.
Proactive prevention methods can also reduce your chances of developing nodular melanoma. Every time you go outside, use a sunscreen that is at least SPF 15. Make sure to re-apply that sunscreen every 2 hours you are outside. Protect your lips, nose, ears, and the back of the neck especially. If you can avoid sun exposure between 10am and 4pm, then do so. If not, wear long-sleeved shirts, pants, a hat, and sunglasses when outside.