What does stage 1 skin cancer look like? Stage 1 skin cancer can vary in appearance depending on the type of skin cancer. Generally, it appears as a small growth or sore with a pearly or waxy appearance. It may also look like a red, scaly patch or a pink or flesh-colored bump.
A large brownish spot with darker speckles. A mole that changes in color, size or feel or that bleeds. A small lesion with an irregular border and portions that appear red, pink, white, blue or blue-black. A painful lesion that itches or burns.
Prognosis for Stage 1 Melanoma: With appropriate treatment, Stage I melanoma is highly curable. There is low risk for recurrence or metastasis.
Survival for all stages of melanoma
almost all people (almost 100%) will survive their melanoma for 1 year or more after they are diagnosed. around 90 out of every 100 people (around 90%) will survive their melanoma for 5 years or more after diagnosis.
Stage 1 is part of the number staging system and means your melanoma is at an early stage. It is only in the skin and there is no sign that it has spread to lymph nodes or other parts of the body. Stage 1 can be divided into 1A and 1B.
You should see your doctor if you have: a spot or sore that doesn't heal within 4 weeks. a spot or sore that hurts, is itchy, crusty, scabs over, or bleeds for more than 4 weeks. areas where the skin has broken down (an ulcer) and doesn't heal within 4 weeks, and you can't think of a reason for this change.
Stage 1: The melanoma has grown deeper, so it reaches into the next layer of skin, the dermis. This means the melanoma has become invasive, but it's still highly treatable.
Treatments for Stage I Melanoma
If cancer cells are found in the lymph nodes, further treatment will become necessary, such as a lymph node dissection (removing nearby lymph nodes), chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or targeted therapies.
Melanoma can grow very quickly. It can become life-threatening in as little as 6 weeks and, if untreated, it can spread to other parts of the body. Melanoma can appear on skin not normally exposed to the sun.
These skin cancers will continue to grow if nothing is done to stop them. Extended growth can result in involvement of vital structures like the nose, eyes, ears, bone, tendon or muscle and can become disfiguring or even life-threatening. Fortunately, most of the time they grow very slowly.
Cancer uses your body's nutrients to grow and advance, so those nutrients are no longer replenishing your body. This “nutrient theft” can make you feel extremely tired.
How Fast Does Melanoma Grow? Some types of melanoma can grow very quickly, becoming life-threatening in as little as six weeks. If left untreated it can spread to other parts of the body. Nodular melanoma is a highly dangerous form of melanoma that looks different from common melanomas and can grow in just a few weeks.
You can feel well and still have skin cancer
Most people who find a suspicious spot on their skin or streak beneath a nail feel fine. They don't have any pain. They don't feel ill. The only difference they notice is the suspicious-looking spot.
Melanoma may suddenly appear without warning, but can also develop from or near an existing mole. It can occur anywhere on the body, but is most common on the upper back, torso, lower legs, head, and neck.
What are the signs of late-stage skin cancer? Melanoma is considered stage 4 when it has metastasized to lymph nodes in a part of the body far from the original tumor or if it has metastasized to internal organs like the lungs, liver, brain, bone or gastrointestinal tract.
The five-year survival rate for people whose melanoma is detected and treated before it spreads to the lymph nodes is 99%. The five-year survival rate for melanoma that spreads to nearby lymph nodes is 68%. The five-year survival rate for melanoma that spreads to distant lymph nodes and other organs is 30%.
If your melanoma has spread to other areas, you may have: Hardened lumps under your skin. Swollen or painful lymph nodes. Trouble breathing, or a cough that doesn't go away.
Definition of survivor
I have survived skin cancer for the 22+ years that I have had it. I'm still here, and I'll continue battling skin cancer with every new spot that appears. That does make me a survivor. And that makes you a survivor if you have or have had skin cancer.
Basal or squamous cell skin cancers may need to be removed with procedures such as electrodessication and curettage, surgical excision, or Mohs surgery, with possible reconstruction of the skin and surrounding tissue. Squamous cell cancer can be aggressive, and our surgeons may need to remove more tissue.
Treatment should happen as soon as possible after diagnosis, since more advanced SCCs of the skin are more difficult to treat and can become dangerous, spreading to local lymph nodes, distant tissues and organs.
Q: Can stage 1 cancer be cured? A: yes, stage 1 cancer is one of the most curable forms of cancer; however, often, it doesn't require immediate treatment.
Cryotherapy is used most often for pre-cancerous conditions such as actinic keratosis and for small basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas. For this treatment, the doctor applies liquid nitrogen to the tumor to freeze and kill the cells. This is often repeated a couple of times in the same office visit.
Doctors can cure most people with squamous cell skin cancer. A small number of people might have squamous cell cancer that has spread to the lymph nodes or to other parts of the body. This may still be cured.