Surgery for Melanoma

Melanoma is a malignant formation that occurs on the skin, mainly at the site of a mole. The tumour develops from skin cells that produce a pigment such as melanin, which is responsible for tanning and skin colour. The disease can affect people of any age under the influence of certain factors:

• A person has birthmarks, ulcers, burns, or skin dysplasia;
• Exposure to chemicals and radiation;
• Solar radiation.

A person may not pay attention to the development of a dangerous disease for a long time. Often people turn to a specialist already at an advanced stage. However, early diagnosis of melanoma significantly increases the patient’s chances of a full recovery.

Our Tel Aviv Medical Clinic is equipped with advanced equipment, and highly qualified specialists have many years of practical experience and knowledge of using unique methods for treating skin lesions of any stage and form of severity. The technique of treatment is selected individually, taking into account the characteristics of the body and the course of the disease.

Diagnosis 

The diagnosis is made on the basis of patient complaints, physical examination and a full laboratory and clinical examination. Differential diagnosis is also important, for which a biopsy of education is carried out with the subsequent study of the sample taken. An instrumental examination is also used to assess the condition of the internal organs.

We use the following research methods: 

• Dermatoscopy.
• Biopsy of the affected area of ​​tissue and lymph nodes.
• Radiography.
• CT scan.
• Blood chemistry.
• MRI.
• Ultrasound.

Treatment 

Surgery is the main treatment for most melanomas. Surgery is usually enough to completely cure melanoma at an early stage. The tumour is removed along with surrounding healthy tissues. The extent of removal of healthy tissues depends on the thickness of the tumour focus, how deep the tumour penetrated the skin. For small tumours, treatment is limited to a small surgical procedure, which is carried out for diagnostic purposes. In the case of large tumours, the removal is more extensive, often skin plastic is required to cover the skin defect. If the tumour spreads to the regional lymph nodes, they are removed surgically. In the case of the spread of the tumour through the blood to other organs or tissues, metastases are removed surgically, if possible.

In addition to surgery, the doctor uses the following methods of therapy: 

• Electrotherapy;
• Radiation exposure;
• Chemotherapy;
• Targeted therapy;
• Immunotherapy.