Melanoma- the most serious form of skin cancer.

Like other skin cancers, is generally

caused by excessive exposure to UV radiation. Risk factors such as fair complexion,
higher mole count and age also play a part.
arly detection of melanoma can save your life ! if found early enough, melanoma can
be easily treated and cured in most cases. "t is important to check your skin regularly.
#etection and examinations $
#ermoscopy - %also kno&n as dermoscopy or epiluminescence microscopy' is the
examination of skin lesions &ith a dermatoscope. (his traditionally consists of a
magnifier %typically x)*', a non-polarised light source, a transparent plate and a
li+uid medium bet&een the instrument and theskin, and allo&s inspection of skin
lesions unobstructed by skin surface reflections
,onfocal microscopy - is an optical imaging techni+ue used to increase optical
resolution andcontrast of a micrograph by using point illumination and a spatial
pinhole to eliminate out-of-focus light in specimens that are thicker than the focal
plane.
-).
"t enables the reconstruction of three-dimensional structures from the
obtained images
(otal body photography-(otal body photography is a diagnostic techni+ue &here
a series of high resolution digital photographs are taken from head to toe of
the patient/s skin. (his photographic record is then used as a baseline for the
patient to track changes over time in existing moles, in addition to checking for
the presence of ne& moles and skin cancers, including melanomas. ,hanges in
moles can be in the form of si0e, shape and colour change.
#igital monitoring- 1 monitor that accepts digital rather than analog signals. 1ll
monitors %except flat-panel displays' use ,R( technology, &hich is essentially
analog. (he term digital, therefore, refers only to the type of input received from
the video adapter. 1 digital monitor then translates the digital signals into analog
signals that control the actual display.
1lthough digital monitors are fast and produce clear images, they cannot display
continuously variable colors.
2ral Melanoma is a pigmented entities are relatively common in the oral mucosa and
arise from intrinsic and extrinsic sources. ,onditions such as melanotic macules,
nevi, smoker3s melanosis, amalgam and graphite tattoos, racial pigmentation, and
vascular blood-related pigments occur &ith some fre+uency.
4hoto from a man &ith an ulcerated, blue-black, slightly
elevated lesion in the edentulous, posterior right maxilla. (he lesion extends across the
residual alveolar ridge onto the palate and onto the facial aspect of the ridge
4athophysiology$
2ral melanomas are uncommon,
and, similar to their cutaneous
counterparts, they are thought to
arise primarily from melanocytes in
the basal layer of the s+uamous
mucosa.
Melanocytic density has a regional
variation. 5acial skin has the
greatest number of melanocytes. "n
the oral mucosa, melanocytes are
observed in a ratio of about )
melanocyte to )* basal cells.
"n contrast to cutaneous
melanomas, &hich are etiologically
linked to sun exposure, risk factors
for mucosal melanomas are
unkno&n.
"n cutaneous melanomas, &ell-
kno&n differences exist in the
biologic behaviors of the radial
gro&th phase!melanoma %flat or
macular', vertical gro&th phase!
melanoma %mass, nodule,
elevation', and vertical gro&th
phase!melanoma &ith metastasis.