The prognosis for melanoma can be very good, especially when detected early.
The melanoma signs can appear anywhere on your body, but they most often appear on areas that have had the most sun exposure such as your face, arms, back and legs. It can also appear on other areas that have had very little sun exposure, such as under your feet, palms of your hands and at the fingernails. It is more common for people with dark skin to have these hidden melanomas.
One needs to be very aware of the dangers of radiation from the sun and tanning beds. All too often people raise their own risk of melanoma due to overexposure to ultraviolet rays. It needs to be kept in mind that melanoma is the most deadly form of skin cancer.
So what is the prognosis of melanoma?
Well it's similar to any skin cancer prognosis in that it depends on the staging. Whereas the two other most common types of skin cancer (basal cell and squamous cell) grow slower and are usually more detectable in the early stages, the melanoma staging can advance more quickly and undetected.
What appears as a simple mole on your skin can be travelling inward without you even knowing.
So be aware of any existing moles and be watching for any changes in color, size, shape and elevation. Be aware of any new moles occurring that you did not previously have.
Now back to the skin cancer prognosis for melanoma.
If detected in the early stage when still local, the prognosis is good or excellent. Survival rate at this stage is 95% to 100%.
If it has advanced inward deeper than 4 mm, then the survival rate is about 50% over a 5 year period. Stages 2 and 3 often have a good survival rate.
If it advances to the lymph nodes or blood, it can create tumors in other vital organs.
If you're not being told a good prognosis by your doctor, don't be willing to give up easily.
There are alternative options available that may work better for you. I'd recommend you read about Peggy Sue who was cured from cancer by alternative natural treatments after being given 3 months to live by the medical doctors. Here's her site: http://www.cancer-research-awareness.com/skin-cancer.html.
Her cancer wasn't skin cancer, but you must keep in mind that the body is a whole and should be treated as a whole. Make the body well and you will be free of all disease.
Personally I would say, if your prognosis for melanoma is good, then it may be a good idea to let it be removed surgically.
But from that point on YOU should take control of your health by learning and living a healthier diet and life style.
It could mean a lot of drastic changes, but I did it and it's well worth it to me.
Gary Harmon is a 20 year survivor of stage III squamous cell carcinoma skin cancer. So, much of what he says comes from his own experiences. If you want to learn more about skin cancer visit http://www.skin-cancer-experiences.com/prognosis-for-melanoma.html or just go to http://www.skin-cancer-experiences.com/.
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