Is acral lentiginous melanoma a cancer?
Acral lentiginous melanoma is a rare type of skin cancer. It begins when the melanocytes in the skin grow out of control and form tumors.
How long can you live with acral lentiginous melanoma?
Acral lentiginous melanoma had 5- and 10-year melanoma-specific survival rates of 80.3% and 67.5%, respectively, which were less than those for all cutaneous malignant melanomas overall (91.3% and 87.5%, respectively; P < . 001).
What are the symptoms of acral lentiginous melanoma?
Signs of acral lentiginous melanoma include:
- A strip of color appearing under your finger or toenail that isn’t caused by an accident or bruise.
- Damage to your nail that doesn’t have an apparent cause.
- A previous spot that begins to change in color or appearance.
- A spot that grows larger.
Can acral lentiginous melanoma be cured?
Acral lentiginous melanoma (ALM) is a rare type of cutaneous skin cancer that develops on the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, and nail beds. When detected early, ALM can be cured by surgical removal.
How do people get acral lentiginous melanoma?
Acral lentiginous melanoma causes ALM happens because the melanocytes in your skin become malignant. A tumor will continue to grow and spread until it’s removed. Unlike other forms of melanoma, acral lentiginous melanoma is not associated with excess sun exposure.
How rare is acral lentiginous melanoma?
It’s relatively rare, making up just 2%–3% of U.S. melanoma cases and about 2,000 cases overall. But it also may be the most common form of melanoma in many countries because it makes up 50% to 80% of melanoma cases among people of color.
Is acral lentiginous melanoma fast growing?
It is more common on feet than on hands. It can arise de novo in normal-appearing skin, or it can develop within an existing melanocytic naevus (mole). Acral lentiginous melanoma starts as a slowly-enlarging flat patch of discoloured skin.
Is acral lentiginous melanoma rare?
Acral lentiginous melanoma is a rare subtype of malignant melanoma, generally found on the palms, soles, and subungual spaces. ALM is the most common subtype of melanoma diagnosed in non-Caucasian patients.
What is acral lentiginous melanoma caused by?
What is the cause of acral lentiginous melanoma? Acral lentiginous melanoma is due to the development of malignant pigment cells (melanocytes) along the basal layer of the epidermis. These cells may arise from an existing melanocytic naevus or more often from previously normal-appearing skin.