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Moles Dysplastic Nevi, Indicators of CANCER, what to watch for. Additional information about moles.
Moles are spots on the skin. Nearly everyone has 10 to 50 moles on their body. Actually, you are born with moles that are flesh colored. Through time moles enlarge and darken making them more noticeable. Moles are often referred to as beauty marks and at various times in history moles on the face have been considered attractive and were created artificially with dyes or makeup. Others find moles unsightly and have the moles removed for cosmetic purposes or concern that the moles might become cancerous. A single mole is called 'nevus' and multiple moles are called 'nevi'. Moles occur when skin cells called melanocytes grow in clusters instead of being spread throughout the skin. Melanocytes make the pigment that gives skin its natural color. This pigment darkens under ultraviolet light from the sun or tanning beds and creates a tan. In many cultures the tan look connotes being healthy, but scientific research is changing that perspective. Recent scientific studies point to overexposure to UV light as a contributing factor to skin cancers. One of the most virulent types of skin cancer is melanoma. Melanoma begins in meloncytes cells. It can begin on a new site on the skin, but frequently begins in moles where the meloncyte cells cluster. Normal moles or nevi have the following characteristics:
mole (nevi) Dysplastic Nevi are atypical or abnormal moles that look different than normal moles. Studies show that around 1 in 10 people have at least one dysplastic nevi mole on their body. Recent studies reveal that dysplastic nevi are more likely to turn into melanoma than normal moles. Not everyone that has dysplastic nevi gets melanoma. Most moles, both normal and dyplastic nevi never turn cancerous. However, because that possibility exists, all types of moles deserve careful examination for changes. The American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute recommends seeing a doctor immediately if you notice changes in the size, shape or color of any mole or if it bleeds or becomes painful. Dysplastic Nevi have the following characteristics:
dysplastic nevi Moles can be treated and removed in numerous ways; removed with surgery, cryosurgery, removed with acids, removed by lasers, and removed by herbal products (BIO-T). Below you will find a short description of the procedures.
Additional information on the link between abnormal moles and cancer
melanoma The link between dysplastic moles and melanoma was first reported in the 1970s when scientists observed that members of a melanoma-prone family had numerous large, abnormal moles on their bodies. By the early 1980s, researchers also noted that some people without any family history of melanoma had dysplastic nevi, raising the question of whether these individuals are at increased risk for skin cancer. Subsequent work has largely confirmed this association. In fact, several small studies have suggested that dysplastic nevi could account for 29 percent to 49 percent of nonfamilial melanoma. Other studies have indicated that people who have numerous abnormal moles could have as great as a sevenfold increased risk for melanoma. However, the subject has remained controversial. Some investigators have stated that the definition of dysplastic nevi in several studies has been too imprecise, subject to bias, and generally inconclusive on the issue of melanoma risk. They have said that without standard criteria to diagnose dysplastic nevi, both in the clinic and under the microscope, clinicians would be hard pressed to differentiate between normal and dysplastic moles. An article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association should help to settle the controversy. The study reported in the journal involved nearly 1,800 people — 738 people diagnosed with melanoma and 1,030 people without the disease — who were examined primarily at the Melanoma Clinic of the University of California at San Francisco and the Pigmented Lesion Clinic of the University of Pennsylvania, Pa. All participants agreed to an interview, a complete skin examination, photography of their most atypical moles, and possibly a biopsy of their most unusual mole. In one of the study's key findings, Tucker et al. report that clinicians independently agreed almost nine out of 10 times on whether a mole was normal or dysplastic. The study defined dysplastic nevi as being flat or partly flat, 5 millimeters or larger, and showing two or more of the following characteristics: variable pigmentation, asymmetric outline, and indistinct borders. "This study adds strong evidence to what several other smaller studies have already demonstrated, " said Tucker. "By scrupulously adhering to recognized diagnostic criteria, experienced clinicians will agree in most cases that a mole is dysplastic." The researchers also found they could correlate the number and type of moles, both normal and abnormal, on a person's body with their risk of developing melanoma. For those with unusually high numbers of normal, but no abnormal, moles, the researchers calculated a twofold increased risk for melanoma. For those with numerous small and large normal moles, the risk for melanoma was four times higher than normal. The risk associated with clearly defined dysplastic moles was much higher. The scientists estimated that individuals with a single dysplastic mole on their bodies have a twofold risk of developing melanoma. The risk rises to 14-fold in those with 10 or more abnormal moles. "The fact that we could make this correlation strongly suggests that dysplastic nevi are precursor lesions that, with additional genetic damage, can trigger melanoma," said Tucker. * The study is titled, "Clinically Recognized Dysplastic Nevi: A Central Risk Factor for Cutaneous Melanoma." The authors are Margaret A. Tucker, Allan Halpern, Elizabeth A. Holly, Patricia Hartge, David E. Elder, Richard W. Sagebiel, DuPont Guerry IV, and Wallace H. Clark, Jr. JAMA, May 14, 1997.
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