Medical Reference related to Melanoma skin cancer

1. Understanding skin cancer - symptoms
   

   From symptoms to treatment to prevention, get the basics on skin cancer from the experts.

2. Solar keratosis (actinic keratosis): Symptoms, diagnosis and treatment
   

   Solar (actinic) keratoses are rough areas on the outer skin layer caused by too much exposure to the ultraviolet rays of sunlight.

3. The skin cancer self-examination
   

   Learn how to check yourself for signs that might be early skin cancer.

4. What will happen to me?
   

   Learn what will happen if you have melanoma.

5. What is SPF?
   

   SPF stands for sun protection factor. It is given as a number. The SPF number tells you how much protection from sunburn a sunscreen will give you. The higher the SPF number, the longer you can stay out in the sun before you get burned. Everyone should always use a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or more whenever they are in the sun.

6. Sunscreen to prevent melanomas
   

   This information tells you about wearing sunscreen, a treatment used to prevent melanoma. It is based on the best and most up-to-date research. Although we're not sure exactly what causes melanomas, we do know that the sun plays a big part. So to protect yourself and your family against melanomas, you need to stay out of strong sunlight and do things to stop it damaging your skin. Although we're

7. 10 questions to ask your doctor about melanoma
   

   10 important questions to ask your doctor about melanoma

8. How do doctors diagnose squamous cell skin cancer?
   

   Read about a diagnosis for squamous cell skin cancer.

9. Low doses of interferon alfa-2b after surgery
   

   Low doses of interferon alfa-2b after surgery probably won't help you live longer if you have a melanoma, but if you have this treatment it may take longer for your cancer to come back. However, this treatment has side effects.

10. Surgery to remove melanomas
    

    Having surgery to remove a melanoma has been the standard treatment for many years. Your surgeon will cut out the melanoma and some of the normal-looking skin around it. Taking out the skin from around the melanoma is called taking a margin. Your surgeon does this to make sure that all the cancer cells are gone.