Need More Clarification
Question: "Melanoma is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the skin cells called melanocytes (cells that color the skin)." - What does that mean
Answer: Melanoma is one of the deadliest cancers in the world, and the worst skin cancer. However, it is one of the easiest to avoid. Put simply, a person gets melanoma through extreme exposure to the sun. When exposed to the sun, the melanocytes, which give the skin its color, make more pigment and cause the skin to darken/tan. It is not uncommon, however, for the melanocytes to cluster together to form skin growths, known as moles, or nevi in medical terms. Unfortunately, sometimes the melanocytes can malfunction, causing them to grow out of control, stick together to form legions or tumors, and damage the surrounding tissue. This is called melanoma.
Melanoma is a form of skin cancer not to be confused with squamous-cell or basal-cell skin cancers. Those very common cancers arise from keratinocytes in the epidermis (skin), though they are also triggered by sun exposure. However, they seldom become life-threatening. In contrast, Melanoma has a much higher potential to spread to other parts of the body and become a life-threatening illness.
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