Acral lentiginous melanoma | |
---|---|
Specialty | Oncology, dermatology |
Symptoms | Areas of dark pigmentation [1] |
Causes | Malignant melanocytes[2][3] |
Diagnostic method | Biopsy[4] |
Treatment | Biologic immunotherapy agents[5] |
Frequency | Males = Females[6] |
Acral lentiginous melanoma is a type of skin cancer.[6] It typically begins as a uniform brownish mark before becoming darker and wider with a blurred irregular edge, most frequently seen in the foot of a person with darker skin.[6] It may become bumpy and ulcerate.[6] Just under the nail it typically appears as dark longitudinal streaks, and it may spread.[7]
Melanoma is a group of serious skin cancers that arise from pigment cells (melanocytes); acral lentiginous melanoma is a kind of lentiginous[8] skin melanoma.[6] Acral lentiginous melanoma is the most common subtype in people with darker skins and is rare in people with lighter skin types.[7] It is not caused by exposure to sunlight or UV radiation, and wearing sunscreen does not protect against it. Acral lentiginous melanoma is commonly found on the palms, soles, under the nails, and in the oral mucosa. It occurs on non-hair-bearing surfaces of the body, which have not necessarily been exposed to sunlight. It is also found on mucous membranes.[9]
The absolute incidence of ALM is the same for people of all skin colors, and has not changed significantly for decades.[9] However, because rates of other melanomas are low in non-white populations, ALM is the most common form of melanoma diagnosed amongst Asian and sub-Saharan African ethnic groups.[10] The average age at diagnosis is between sixty and seventy years.[11]
Males and females are affected equally.[6]
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