Early stage toenail melanoma

Toes are an important joint landmark of the human foot and their function is similar to that of fingers, except that in daily life they play a role in helping people walk or run steadily. Many people will find melanin in their toenails in daily life. This is a relatively common type of toenail melanoma. It is a very serious symptom, which causes great harm to people's bodies. In severe cases, amputation may be required for real treatment. So what are the early symptoms of toenail melanoma?

What are the symptoms of black toenails and melanoma?

There are many prognostic factors for toenail melanoma, the most important of which are tumor volume, tumor cell type, whether it has spread outside the sclera, and the location of the tumor front edge.

1. Tumor volume

Smaller tumors have a better prognosis; larger tumors have a worse prognosis. The width of the contact area between the tumor base and the sclera is more important than the height of the tumor. The wider the contact area with the sclera, the easier it is to spread outside the eye or metastasize throughout the body.

2. Tumor cell type

The prognosis of spindle cell melanoma is good, with a 5-year survival rate of 84%; the prognosis of mixed cell type and necrotic melanoma is poor, with a 5-year survival rate of about 50%; the prognosis of epithelioid tumor cell type melanoma is the worst, with a 5-year survival rate of less than 30%.

3. Extrascleral diffusion

Choroidal or ciliary melanoma that invades the sclera or corneosclera has a poor prognosis. Such cases are prone to local recurrence or systemic metastasis, and have a high mortality rate.

4. Tumor front edge location

When the front edge of the tumor is close to the ciliary body, the prognosis is poor. This may be because the ciliary body is rich in blood vessels and ciliary muscle movement will also increase the chance of tumor cells metastasizing through blood vessels. In addition, early diagnosis is difficult because the tumors in the ciliary body and peripheral choroid are relatively hidden and have no obvious symptoms in the early stages.

Through the above introduction, everyone has a certain understanding of toenail melanoma. It is generally believed that melanoma is mainly related to sunlight exposure, but toenail melanoma is ignored. This has a serious impact on the early detection and early treatment of toenail melanoma. Therefore, the disease of toenail melanoma should be taken seriously.