Diseases

Malignant Melanoma

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A skin cancer that begins in cells called melanocytes. Melanocytes can grow together to form benign (not cancerous) moles. A melanoma starts as a collection of cancerous melanocytes. A change in size, shape, or color of a mole can be a sign of melanoma.

SYMPTOMS

Hardened lumps under your skin.
Swollen or painful lymph nodes.
Trouble breathing, or a cough that doesn't go away.
Swelling of your liver (under your lower right ribs) or loss of appetite.
Bone pain or, less often, broken bones

CAUSES

High freckle density or tendency to develop freckles after sun exposure
High number of moles
Five or more atypical moles
Presence of actinic lentigines, small gray-brown spots, also known as liver spots, sun spots, or age spots
Giant congenital melanocytic nevus, brown skin marks that present at birth, also called birth marks