MELANOMA
Melanoma is a type of skin cancer affecting the cells that produce pigment in your skin.
Any one of any age can be affected by melanoma but several risk factors may increase your risk.
They include older age, fairer skin, high sun exposure history, family history and some genetic conditions.
Melanoma can affect all parts of the body, internal and external including nails.
The main cause is UV radiation which is mainly from the sun but also from sunbeds.
Following referral from local plastic surgery or dermatology, you will be invited to attend clinic.
My clinic consists of registrars, clinical fellows, specialty plastic surgeons and Specialist Skin Cancer Nurses.
You will be seen by a member of the team who will ask about your medical history and examine you including lymph glands in the neck, groin or armpits.
A chaperone will be provided for these intimate examinations.
I will analyse the information from your referer, yourself and my team to offer an individualised treatment plan with you.
Depending on the thickness of the melanoma (Breslow thickness), national and international guidelines are used to ensure world-class and consistent care.
My first goal is to determine the extent of the disease (staging) ie. how invasive the tumour was locally, any spread to lymph glands or to other organs.
Staging includes clinical examination, analysis of removal specimen, might involve body scans (MRI, PET, ultrasound and CT) as well as SLNB or sentinel lymph node biopsy.
We ask to take clinical photographs and you may also be asked if you consent to having of or more of several procedures to help stage, treat and/or reconstruct you.