Malignant Melanoma be in the know

(AP) - On May 11, 1981, reggae musician Bob Marley died in Miami of brain and lung cancer, caused by malignant melanoma; He was 36.

Seven months earlier, the Jamaican-born entertainer collapsed on stage during a concert in the U-S. Marley and his band, the Wailers, were national heroes in their native land and helped spread reggae music around the world.

Marley was wounded in an assassination attempt in 1976. "Legend," a greatest hits compilation issued in 1984, was estimated to have sold more than 12 million copies worldwide by 1997.

Melanoma may account for as much as 4% of all skin cancers; however, it causes the greatest number of skin cancer related deaths worldwide.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, Melanoma is a cancer of the pigment producing cells in the skin, known as melanocytes.

Normal melanocytes reside in the outer layer of the skin and produce a brown pigment called melanin, which is responsible for skin color.

Melanoma occurs when melanocytes become cancerous, grow, and invade other tissues.
Melanoma begins on the surface of the skin where it is easy to see and treat.

If given time to grow, melanoma can grow down into the skin, ultimately reaching the blood and lymphatic vessels, and apread around the body, causing life-threatening illness.

It is curable when detected early, but can be fatal if allowed to progress and spread.
Though anyone can get melanoma, excessive sun exposure throughout life and people with many moles are at an increased risk to develop melanoma.

The average person has around 30 moles, and most are without significance; however, people with more than 50 moles are at a greater risk.
In addition to the number of moles, some people have moles that are unusual and irregular looking.
These moles are known as dysplastic or atypical moles. People with atypical moles are at increased risk of developing melanoma.

Melanoma also runs in families. If a relative such as a parent, aunt or uncle had melanoma, other blood relatives are at an increased risk for melanoma.

The following factors help to identify those at risk for melanoma:

• Fair skin
• A history of sunburns
• More than 50 moles
• Atypical moles
• Close relative who have had melanoma