Top 4 Skin Cancer Treatments Used For Melanoma

According to Medical News Today, melanoma is a serious type of skin cancer due to its ability to spread. Repeated overexposure to the sun is thought to be the biggest cause of melanoma, which is why it is so important to protect yourself when spending time out in the sun. Should you discover that you have this type of cancer, your doctor may prescribe one of the following four skin cancer treatments. 

Surgery

A surgical oncologist can schedule a day to remove the melanoma. The Cancer Treatment Centers of America report a few different ways to accomplish this. Each depends on certain factors. For example, if the melanoma was caught early, it can be removed using a simple excision, however, if cancer is found in the area surrounding the melanoma, you'll need a wide excision. Should the melanoma have already spread, it may be necessary to undergo a lymph node dissection. 

Immunotherapy

The American Cancer Society lists a few immunotherapies that can be used as a skin cancer treatment for melanoma. PD-1 inhibitors are administered through an IV and work to shrink tumors by blocking the PD-1 protein so that the body will begin attacking the cancer cells. Another option is the oncolytic virus therapy, which injects a virus directly into the cancerous tumor killing the cancer cells and causing the tumor to shrink. Finally, there is an imiquimod cream that can be rubbed right over the melanoma to stimulate the immune system to respond in that area.

Chemotherapy

Should the melanoma be in the advanced stages, chemotherapy may be the best option. This drug can be prescribed in pill form, or injected in to the body using an IV. The Melanoma Research Foundation states that half of all melanomas occur on the body's extremities. If this is where your melanoma is located, chemotherapy can also be given using a technique called isolated limb perfusion. This keeps the drug from entering the rest of the body, where it could cause unwanted side effects. 

Radiation Therapy

There are several instances when radiation therapy may be utilized as a skin cancer treatment. The American Cancer Society reports that this therapy is used when surgery is not an option, when removed lymph nodes were found to be cancerous, and when melanomas have returned after being surgically removed. The organization goes on to list radiation therapy as a form of palliative care to help patients experience a little relief from their cancer symptoms. 

For more information, contact a business such as Center Of Dermatology PC/Herschel E Stoller MD.