Metastatic melanoma corresponds to the most severe stage of melanoma, as it is characterized by the spread of tumor cells to other parts of the body, especially the liver, lung and bones, making treatment more difficult and potentially compromising the person's life.
This type of melanoma is also known as stage III melanoma or stage IV melanoma, and most of the time it only happens when the diagnosis of the melanoma was late or was not made and the start of treatment was impaired. Thus, as there was no control of cell proliferation, these malignant cells are able to reach other organs, characterizing the disease.
Why it happens
Metastatic melanoma happens mainly when melanoma is not identified in the early stages, when the diagnosis is not made or when the treatment is not carried out the way it should have been. This causes the proliferation of malignant cells to be favored, as well as their spread to other parts of the body, such as lungs, liver, bones and gastrointestinal tract, characterizing metastasis.
In addition, some factors may favor the development of metastatic melanoma, such as genetic factors, lighter skin, frequent exposure to ultraviolet radiation, presence of primary melanoma that has not been removed and decreased immune system activity due to other diseases.
Signs and symptoms of Metastatic Melanoma
Symptoms of metastatic melanoma vary according to where the metastasis occurs, and can be:
- Fatigue; Difficulty breathing; Weight loss without apparent cause; Dizziness; Loss of appetite; Lymph node enlargement; Bone pain.
In addition, the characteristic signs and symptoms of melanoma can be perceived, such as the presence of signs on the skin that have irregular borders, different colors and that may increase over time. Learn how to recognize the symptoms of melanoma.
How treatment should be done
Metastatic melanoma has no cure, however the treatment aims to decrease the rate of cell replication and, thus, relieve symptoms, delay the spread and progression of the disease, and increase the life expectancy and quality of the person.
Thus, according to the stage of melanoma, the doctor can choose to perform target therapy, for example, which aims to act directly on the gene that is altered, preventing or decreasing the rate of replication of cells and preventing disease progression. In addition, surgery and chemotherapy and radiation therapy may be recommended in an attempt to eliminate cancer cells that are scattered. Understand how the treatment of melanoma is done.
